FEMA – Farmington River Watershed Flood Mapping Project
General Information, Preliminary Maps and Appeal Period
What’s Happening? Why Should Property Owners Care?
If your property is located in or is in proximity to a flood zone, the revised maps are important to review as they may impact your property.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) generates flood maps as a tool for local communities to identify which areas have the highest risk of flooding. In 2018, FEMA began a Flood Risk Study of the Farmington River Watershed, which includes the Town of Windsor and other Hartford County communities, in order to update the current flood maps. The study utilized improved hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, new topographic and aerial imagery and revised modeling. From this information, new floodplain characteristics were generated and preliminary flood maps were created. They are now available for public review.
Property owners may appeal map revisions to FEMA up until May 28, 2024. See more information on how to appeal below. The effective date for the new, finalized maps is tentatively scheduled for November 2025.
How to View Preliminary Maps
We recommend viewing these maps on a desktop or tablet, not a mobile device.
Option 1 – Windsor’s Supplemental Map: The Town of Windsor has compiled parcel data with the latest FEMA map changes as a guide for residents navigating through this information.
– Access the viewer application. This app includes parcel information, the proposed 100 year flood plain, the current 100 year flood plain and the Preliminary Changes from FEMA.
– Viewer application how-to guide
If you need help navigating this application, please contact the Planning Department at 860-285-1980 or email thompson@townofwindsorct.com
Option 2 – FEMA’s Map: To view the preliminary flood map changes for your property, please follow the link found here. Input your address in the “Find address or place” search bar (include “Windsor, CT” when inputting your address such as, “275 Broad Street, Windsor, CT”).
There’s a Change on My Property, What Now?
View FEMA’s Story Map: If you have a change on your property, the best way to find more information is to view FEMA’s Story Map.
Floodplain Ordinance: If you have 100 year floodplain on your property, you will be subject to Windsor’s Flood Plain Ordinance.
How to Ask Questions:
You may contact the FEMA Mapping and Insurance eXchange (FMIX) to get help with questions about flood mapping and insurance. You can reach FMIX by email or phone:
FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov or 1-877-336-2627.
How to File an Appeal:
Before the maps become final, community members can raise questions or concerns about the information on the maps and submit an appeal. Contact Windsor’s Floodplain Administrator, Suzanne Choate, at Choate@townofwindsorct.com or call 860-285-1804 to review and submit your comments before May 15, 2024. Residents may also contact FEMA directly before May 28, 2024. Appeal data can be sent or emailed to FEMA or CDM Smith (FEMA’s mapping contractor) at the contacts below:
Christopher Markesich
Community Coordination Officer
FEMA Region I
220 Binney Street
Cambridge, MA 02142
(617) 832-4712
Email: christopher.markesich@fema.dhs.gov
Katelyn T. Henry
CDM Smith
11500 North Lake Drive Suite 305
Cincinnati, OH 45249
Email: henrykt@cdmsmith.com
More Information About Apppeals:
This appeal period is an opportunity for any property owners to challenge the FIRM & FIS by providing additional scientific or technical data to FEMA. An appeal is a formal written objection to a new or revised base flood elevation (BFE), flood zone, or floodway. An appeal must be supported by an analysis or scientific evidence showing that the information on the preliminary FIRM or FIS is scientifically or technically incorrect. An appeal is not such statements as: “FEMA’s map is wrong”, “It has not flooded as long as I have lived here”, or “I don’t want my house in the floodplain or to pay flood insurance”.
After the appeal period ends, FEMA will evaluate the data received and revise the preliminary FIRM and FIS if appropriate. Once all appeals are resolved, FEMA will send an appeal resolution letter to the community and all appellants.
During this appeal period, FEMA will also accept any comments on the preliminary maps and studies. A comment is a minor correction to the map, such as a spelling error to a street name or correction to a jurisdictional boundary.
Next Steps for These Maps
After the appeal and comment period is complete, the maps will become final. When a map is final, it is adopted by your town and is used to regulate building and flood insurance for your community.
Appeal Period
Letter of Final Determination
FIRM Productive Effective
Additional Resources
Other helpful resources on FEMA floodplain management include:
FEMA Region I Map Update Guide:
This guide provides a general overview of the map update process.
Map Changes and Flood Insurance
This publication provides residents with information on flood insurance requirements that may result from a flood map change.
Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) and Flood Insurance Studies (FIS)
Select “Connecticut” as the State, Select “Hartford County” as the County from the drop-down boxes. This website provides a total list of the affected panels in the watershed. Below is a list of affected panels by community. For a resident to find which flood map panel pertains to their address, they should first go to the FEMA Map Service Center website https://msc.fema.gov and type their address into the search box.