Floodplain Management

Given the frequency and dangers posed by flash flooding in Central Texas, the City of Buda takes its floodplain management responsibilities seriously.

The purpose of the Buda Floodplain Management regulations within Appendix A of the City of Buda Unified Development Code is to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in specifically designated areas. In order to accomplish this task, the regulations are designed to:

  • Restrict or prohibit uses that are dangerous to health, safety, and property due to water or erosion hazards or that result in damaging increases in erosion or in flood heights or velocities; 
  • Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities that serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction; 
  • Control the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels and natural protective barriers that are involved in the accommodation of flood waters; 
  • Control filling, grading, dredging and other development that may increase erosion or flood damage waters; 
  • Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers that will unnaturally divert flood waters or that may increase flood hazards to other lands; and maintain the City’s eligibility for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as defined in 44 Code of Federal Regulations 59.22(a)(3); and to meet the requirements of 44.60.3(d). 



2013 floodOctober 31, 2013 flood event
Onion Creek at RM 967

The Floodplain Development regulations apply to all areas of the City of Buda identified as numbered and unnumbered A zones, AE, AO, and AH Zones, on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and the Flood Boundary and Floodway Map dated September 2, 2005, as amended. In all areas covered by the zones and as identified in Appendix A of the Unified Development Code, no development shall be permitted except upon the issuance of a Floodplain Development Permit granted in accordance with the procedures and standards of the applicable city codes.

No development within any numbered or unnumbered A zones, AE, AO, and AH Zones on the current FIRM maps dated September 2, 2005, as amended, may be initiated until an applicant obtains a Floodplain Development before initiating any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, levees, levee systems, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations, or storage of equipment or materials.

You may view floodplain maps through FEMA's Map Service Center website. For official determinations regarding the presence of floodplains on a specific property, please contact the City Engineer.