SFHA (special flood hazard area)
A special flood hazard area is land that FEMA maps as subject to the 1% annual chance flood, often called the 100-year floodplain, shown on Flood Insurance Rate Maps as Zone A, AE and related zones. Zone AE is the part where FEMA has determined Base Flood Elevations. Building in an SFHA triggers floodplain permitting, elevation requirements and flood insurance requirements for federally backed loans.
The full guide · Environmental & physical riskCan You Build a Data Center in a Floodplain?How FEMA flood zones, floodways and base flood elevations affect data center sites, what it takes to build near a floodplain, and how to screen flood risk.Where SFHA comes up
- Land & site fundamentalsData Center Site Selection Criteria: The Complete Checklist
- Land & site fundamentalsGross vs. Buildable Acreage: How Much of a Site You Can Use
- Land & site fundamentalsCan My Land Host a Data Center? A Landowner’s Guide
- Zoning, permitting & communityThe Data Center Permitting Process, Step by Step
- Guides by roleA Landowner’s Path: From First Question to Signed Deal
- Environmental & physical riskHurricane and Storm Surge Risk for Data Center Sites: SLOSH Maps, Coastal Flood Zones and Grid Outages
- Feasibility, diligence & dealsDesktop Screening vs. Field Assessment for Data Center Sites
- Site selection by stateData Center Site Selection in Florida