Find comprehensive services related to flood preparation, warnings, response and recovery-- and also planning to minimize risks from future floods in King County, Washington.

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Flooding services and information in King County, WA

Community Rating System
King County, Washington

The Community Rating System (CRS) is an incentive program that encourages communities to adopt floodplain management activities exceeding the minimum National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements. CRS has three goals, which are:

  1. Reduce flood losses.
  2. Facilitate accurate insurance ratings.
  3. Promote the awareness of flood insurance.

In return for a community’s adoption of standards that go above and beyond the minimum NFIP requirements, flood insurance premium rates for residents within the participating community are discounted. The discounts are designed to reflect the reduced flood risk to property owners resulting from the community’s floodplain management activities, and the amount of the discount varies according to the community’s level of effort.


When did King County enter the CRS Program?

King County first entered the CRS Program on Dec. 15, 1990. From the very beginning, King County officials have recognized the value of the CRS Program in reducing risk to floodplain property owners, and King County has actively pursued a variety of floodplain management activities to reduce flood risks to the county’s citizens. The program also can provide significant discounts on premiums for flood insurance policy-holders in unincorporated King County.

King County’s CRS Participation
Date Class % Discount in SFHA % Discount in non-SFHA
December 15, 1990
10
0
0
October 1, 1992
9
5
5
October 1, 1993
8
10
5
October 1, 1996
6
20
10
October 1, 2001
4
30
10
October 1, 2005
3
35
10
October 1, 2007
2
40
10


What is King County’s CRS rating?

On October 1, 2007, King County was awarded a Class 2 rating under the CRS, which provides a 40 percent discount on flood insurance premiums for property located within special flood hazard areas and a 10 percent discount in non-special flood hazard areas within unincorporated King County. King County is the highest rated county in the nation under the CRS program.


Do any incorporated cities in King County participate in the CRS?

The following cities in King County participate in the CRS:

Community Name Current Class % Discount in SFHA % Discount in non-SFHA
Auburn
5
25
10
Bellevue
5
25
10
Issaquah
5
25
10
Kent
6
20
10
North Bend
6
20
10
Renton
6
20
10
Snoqualmie
5
25
10


How does the Community Rating System work?

CRS communities are awarded points for their local floodplain management activities that exceed the NFIP minimum standards. Communities are placed into classes ranging from Class 10 (lowest class) to Class 1 (highest class) based on the total number of points accrued and other specific CRS requirements. All participating communities start out as a Class 10, which offers no flood insurance premium discount, and each class increase results in an additional 5 percent premium discount. A community attaining a Class 1 CRS rating is awarded a 45 percent discount in flood insurance premiums.

The CRS program contains 18 groups of activities under which communities can acquire credit, and these groups are organized under four overarching categories: public information, mapping and regulations, flood damage reduction, and flood preparedness. King County receives CRS points in 17 of the 18 creditable activities; King County’s CRS efforts are summarized below.

Public Information

King County provides a range of public information relating to floodplain management for which CRS credit is awarded. Examples include:

  • Maintaining information on FEMA elevation certificates and making them available to the public;
  • Maintaining and providing information on flood insurance rate maps;
  • Providing information on flood insurance purchase requirements;
  • Conducting outreach to floodplain property owners through the mailing of a flood warning brochure and through a public outreach strategy developed with incorporated cities;
  • Disclosing flood hazards through notices on title, permanent signage, floodplains delineated on plat maps and real estate transactions;
  • Making floodplain information available through public libraries and a Web site; and
  • Providing flood protection assistance to property owners through walk-in inquiries at the building department and customer information bulletins.

» Read more about how to prepare for floods.

Mapping and regulations

Since 1993, the county has completed detailed floodplain mapping studies on more than 143.9 lineal miles of river in King County. Flood hazard mapping activities account for approximately 12 percent of King County’s overall CRS credit. King County also maps channel migration hazard areas and is working toward incorporating U.S. Geological Survey mapping of lahar hazards (i.e. volcanic debris flows).

» Learn more about the King County mapping program.

King County has preserved more than 100,000 acres of open space within the regulatory floodplain and receives additional CRS credit for maintaining those properties in a natural state (i.e. disallowing development) to provide beneficial floodplain functions.

King County has adopted several regulations that exceed the minimum National Flood Insurance Program standards, including, but not limited to:

  • A 3-foot freeboard (height above the 100-year flood elevation) standard for most structures and 3-foot standard for critical facilities;
  • Requirement to provide compensatory storage at the same elevation for fill placed in the floodplain;
  • A zero-rise standard throughout the zero-rise floodway to preserve flood conveyance;
  • Restriction on development in areas where depths exceed three feet and velocity exceeds three feet per second;
  • Requirement for new lots to have at least 5,000 square feet outside the zero-rise floodway;
  • Restriction on non-residential structures in the FEMA floodway, except for agricultural buildings;
  • Standards for manufactured home parks located in the floodplain;
  • Requirement to remove temporary structures and hazardous materials from the floodplain during the flood season;
  • Restriction on critical facilities in the zero-rise floodway and FEMA floodway, with some exceptions;
  • Density restrictions in portions of the floodplain under land use and critical areas protection measures; and
  • Regulating development within channel migration zones.

» Look up King County regulations related to flooding.

King County also receives credit for maintaining surveyed benchmarks, geographical information systems flood data layers and copies of all flood insurance rate maps issued for the community.

» View an interactive map with flood and channel migration areas (requires a popup window).

King County’s Surface Water Design Manual earns the county CRS credits for water quality and quantity standards.

» Read more about drainage and water quality.

Flood damage reduction

King County conducts a wide range of outreach projects each year in an attempt to mitigate FEMA repetitive loss properties within unincorporated King County. In total, King County has purchased and removed more than 40 structures from the floodplain since 1993 and subsequently restricted this land from further development.

King County has an active home/structural elevation program and has elevated over a dozen structures.

» Learn more about King County’s buyout and elevation program.

The 2006 King County Flood Hazard Management Plan was prepared and adopted under the CRS 10-step planning process.

» Read the 2006 Flood Hazard Management Plan online.

Paper copies of the 2006 King County Flood Hazard Management Plan are also available to read at the following King County Libraries:

  • Auburn Library
  • Bellevue Regional Library
  • Bothell Regional Library
  • Carnation Library
  • Duvall Library
  • Fall City Library
  • Fairwood Library
  • Issaquah Library
  • Kent Regional Library
  • Muckleshoot Library
  • North Bend Library
  • Redmond Library
  • Skykomish Library
  • Snoqualmie Library
  • Tukwila Library

CRS credit is provided to recognize King County’s annual inspection and maintenance program of its drainage system, along with a capital improvement program to repair problems areas.

» Learn more about King County drainage maintenance.

Flood preparedness

King County receives CRS credit for its Flood Warning Center operations, as well as the County’s “Storm Ready” designation by the National Weather Service. In addition, King County received CRS credit for the Washington State Dam Safety program for dam operations on several of the major rivers in King County.

» Visit our flood warning Web site.


Community Rating System recertification evaluation reports

King County’s Community Rating System recertification evaluation report assesses the county’s progress toward implementing the 2006 King County Flood Hazard Management Plan’s 10-year action plan and recommendations. The plan serves as the comprehensive plan for the King County Flood Control Zone District.

» Learn more about the King County Flood Control Zone District.

The current CRS Recertification Evaluation Reports are available at:

Where can I get more information about the Community Rating System?

Visit the CRS Resource Center Web site (external link).

Where can I get more information about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)?

Visit the FEMA Web site (external link).

For questions about the Community Rating System, please contact Priscilla Kaufmann, Project/Program Manager, River and Floodplain Management Section.

Related Information

Related Agencies

News and announcements

Jul. 6, 2012
King County flood risk reduction program remains among highest-rated in the nation
FEMA commends County’s continued leadership in protecting people, property from floodwaters