INDIANA — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Water has announced the completion of its April 2025 update for the state’s Best Available Flood Hazard Data. The update provides homeowners, developers, and local officials with the most accurate, up-to-date mapping for floodplains and stream risks across 18 Indiana counties.
This monthly maintenance of the state’s flood hazard layers is critical for community planning and ensuring that new construction meets safety standards to minimize property damage during heavy rain events.
Key County Updates
The April update includes specific data revisions for the following streams and ditches:
- Allen: Grice Ditch
- Boone: Deer Creek
- Brown: Brier Creek
- Dubois: UNT Short Creek
- Greene: Camp Creek
- Hancock: Jay Ditch
- Hendricks: UNT West Fork White Lick Creek
- Johnson: Travis Creek
- Lake: UNT Turkey Creek
- Porter: Dunes Creek & UNT Dunes Creek
- Randolph: UNT White River
- Steuben / DeKalb: UNT Hiram Sweet Ditch
- Warrick: Otter Creek & UNT Hines Ditch
- Washington: UNT Blue River & UNT South Fork Blue River
- White: UNT Moots Creek
(Note: “UNT” refers to an Unnamed Tributary.)
While FEMA issues official Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), the Indiana DNR maintains the “Best Available” layer to incorporate more recent engineering studies and detailed modeling that may not yet be reflected on federal maps.
Using this data allows residents to better understand their flood risk and helps local floodplain administrators make informed decisions regarding building permits and mitigation strategies.
The updated information is immediately available to the public through the Indiana Floodplain Information Portal (INFIP). For professional mappers, engineers, and GIS specialists, the updated ArcGIS REST services can be accessed via the state’s GIS data server:
Access the Best Available Flood Hazard Layer here.
Residents who believe their property may be affected by these updates are encouraged to view the map to see if their flood zone designation has changed. Questions regarding the specific updates can be directed to the DNR Division of Water.
