Contra Costa County Supervisor Mary Piepho has announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has accepted corrections to flood plain maps advocated by Contra Costa County.

“I commend Mitch Avalon and Rich Lierly of the Contra Costa County Flood Control Department for immediately recognizing the error that would have put 160 homes in Discovery Bay into the flood plain, requiring the purchase of flood insurance,” said Piepho. “Their diligent work in partnership with the staff from Reclamation District 800 has righted a wrong, which is of great benefit to those who were potentially affected in the Discovery Bay community.”

On Oct. 6, FEMA issued a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) to residents of Discovery Bay that corrected errors in New Flood Rate Insurance Rate Maps that had become effective June 16, 2009. The County Floodplain Management office has been working with FEMA since the inaccuracies were discovered and now will be mailing out copies of these changes to all affected property owners in Discovery Bay.

The LOMR removes 158 of the 160 properties that were inaccurately added into the FEMA floodplain. The remaining two parcels will be covered on a separate LOMR that the county is expecting soon.

For questions regarding this issue, e-mail the Flood Plain Manager Rich Lierly at rlier@pw.cccounty.us.