Floodplains

Like New Orleans, much of Old Town, downtown Albuquerque, and the Valley are below the level of the Rio Grande. This is because the river drops sediment over time, raising the riverbed. In the past, the river would eventually rise high enough that it would begin to take another path instead, gradually building up that new riverbed with sediment. This was not a problem until people began building in the lowlands near the river.

Beginning in the 1930s, levees were built along the river to keep the Rio Grande in its current riverbed. Additional levees were built in the 1950s and in 1997. Since the riverside levees were built, the Rio Grande has not been able to do periodic course changes. Stormwater in the low-lying areas of town is drained with the assistance of large pumps that lift the water into the Rio Grande. Unless protected by a certified levee, FEMA considers land in many of those low-lying areas to be in a floodplain.

Localized flooding (during and immediately after a heavy rainstorm) can also occur in any part of town. This may or may not mean the property is in a floodplain.

Am I in a floodplain?

You can discover the answer to this and other Frequently-Asked-Questions on our FAQs page.