Floodplain Management & Natural Hazards

Introduction

Floodplain management is the operation of a community program of preventive and corrective measures to reduce the risk of current and future flooding, resulting in a more resilient community. The City of Hobbs participates in the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) since 1992 and CRS (Community Rating System) since 1992. Currently the City of Hobbs is a Class 8 Community, which saves the community 10% on their insurance premiums.

The City of Hobbs works to follow FEMA guidance to ensure we are providing the community technical expertise and assistance with disaster preparedness information.

Contact Information:

Mailing Address: 200 E. Broadway St, Hobbs, NM 88240
Phone Number (Engineering Dept.): (575) 397-9232
Fax Number (Engineering Dept.): (575) 397-9227

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Maps

FEMA’s Map Service Center

To view, print or order the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) please visit FEMA’s Map Service Center.

To view interactive FEMA flood maps, visit FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer Map.

City of Hobbs Maps

Downloadable Maps: https://www.hobbsnm.org/gis.html

Interactive Maps: https://coh.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html

Regulations & Resources

The following FEMA resources offer more information about mitigation measures. For technical assistance on any of these FEMA resources, you may contact FEMA’s Building Science Helpline, a technical assistance hotline, at 1-866-927-2104 or FEMA-Buildingsciencehelp@dhs.gov

Elevation Certificates

If your home or business is in a SFHA (Special Flood Hazard Area) or flood zone, you may need an elevation certificate for insurance purposes. Any new Construction in a SFHA, the City of Hobbs will require a pre-construction and post-construction Elevation Certificate (EC) to ensure the new development is elevated above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). The City of Hobbs keeps copies of all EC’s and we can provide a copy if it exists by contacting the Engineering Department of use the Look-Up below.

[Download .pdfs to your computer and use a PDF viewer for full functionality such as bookmarks]

FEMA Elevation Certificate & Instructions (2019 Edition) ›

NATURAL HAZARDS & DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

As the City of Hobbs continues to make community improvements and manage growth, we all have a responsibility to be aware of Natural Hazards. In addition, we can and prepared for any natural disaster, which damage homes and devastate livelihood of families every day.

[Flood Hazards ›]

[Severe Weather›]

[Extreme Heat and Drought›]

[Wild Fires›]

[Power Outages›]

[Be prepared and make a plan!›]

Flood Hazards

One of the biggest hazards that citizens of the greater Hobbs area have to deal with is flooding. Flooding can occur with little to no notice and presents a hazard to vehicles, property, and structures. If you find yourself on the roads during a flash flood or while the waters are still high after a storm, if you come across water you do not know the depth of remember “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”. However, protecting your property and structures is not as easy as avoiding the water, it requires understanding the Hazard and planning beforehand.

To determine if your property or structure is in a flood zone, information regarding flood insurance, Special Flood Hazard Area regulations (SFHA), or need a copy of an elevation certificate, you can call the Engineering Department at 575-397-9232. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center is available to the public for you to use to look up addresses in a flood zone. You can find the links at the bottom of this page for more flood information.

City of Hobbs participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. This program allows the citizens of Hobbs to receive flood insurance at a discount. If the flood zone touches the property line, you could qualify for a reduced cost on flood insurance, but flood insurance may not be required.

Flood Smart

National Flood Insurance Program

FEMA Website

FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Hobbs Flood Hazard Brochure

Lea County

FEMA Hazard Flood Layer

Severe Weather

Server Weather comes in many forms on the high plains of eastern New Mexico; Thunderstorms, Hail Storms, lighting, tornadoes, and flooding. Being prepared for each of these natural disasters require a basic understanding of the hazard and how to respond when it happens. Below you will find links that will assist you in being prepared for the next severe weather event.

Tornados

Floods

Thunderstorms & Lightning

National Weather Service Midland Office

Extreme Heat and Drought

If Hobbs is known for one thing weather wise, it is our hot summers. Extreme heat can be a hazard to anyone that is out in it and everyone that is outside should be aware of the risk and how to mitigate them. The hottest part of the year in Hobbs is in June, July, and August; which are also the months with an average daytime high in the mid-90s.

Along with the extreme heat, Hobbs is a semi-arid environment getting on average ~12 inches of precipitation a year. It does not take much of a reduction of rainfall for the region to find ourselves in drought conditions. With drought conditions comes increased risk of wild fires (More information below). For more information on preparing for extreme heat and drought see the links below.

Extreme Heat

Drought

US Drought Monitoring Webpage for New Mexico:

Wild Fires

With Hobbs being on the high plains of eastern New Mexico, a semiarid grasslands that can experience high winds, the area is prone to grass/wild fires. While these wild fires do not occur often, when they do they can easily spared out of control over our vast open spaces quickly. Wind driven wild fires can travel fast and can jump barriers like roads and fire brakes. Being prepared for wild fires requires being aware of weather condition, and preplanning an evacuation in case your location is threatened by a wild fire. Wildfires are unpredictable and it is always best to be prepared in case of an emergency. See the links below for further information on wildfires

Wildfires

New Mexico Fire Information Webpage

Nation Fire Protection association Wild Fire Tip Webpage

Power Outages

Please head to the links below if you experience a power outage:

Xcel Energy Website

Xcel Outage Reporting Webpage

Lea County Electrical Coop Website

City of Hobbs Power Outage Brochure

Be prepared and make a plan!

Keep your family and pets safe by being prepared! You can find many helpful tips through the links below.

https://www.ready.gov/plan

Are you Ready?

12 Ways to Prepare




Flood Smart

Fema's Flood Insurance

Additional Information

Flood Hazard Awareness Brochure

Are You Ready? A Guide to Citizen Preparedness

Floods - The Awesome Power

Preparing for Disaster

Help! The Power is Out!

Taking Shelter From the Storm

FEMA Website

Emergency Management

GIS - City of Hobbs FEMA Map