Portion of East Valley added to flood plain zone

It was a small but important gathering on a major change coming to the east valley.

“We learned there is a greater flood risk in this area than we previously thought,” said Heather Engel, spokeswoman for the Coachella Valley Water District. “And it needs to be placed into a flood plain.”

Hundreds of homeowners in this area shaded in blue (see video) who have never needed to buy flood insurance may soon be required to.

“The area affected is roughly from Avenue 56 to the Salton Sea both east and west of the stormwater channel,” Engel said.

The area was formerly designated as having an unclassified flood risk. But over the last few years, the Coachella Valley Water District studied it and created a hydrolic model that established a special flood hazard area.

Christian Mendez and his family in Oasis are affected:

“It’s a reality that you know even the last month itself there’s flash floods and we see it and it’s really good to see the data there now,” Mendez said.

The cost of flood insurance varies, depending on the size of your home. For a $100,000 house, you can expect to pay about a $130 a year premium.

“There’s a lot of people living in the community who have financial issues so it might be a heavy burden for a lot of families,” Mendez said.

The flood insurance will only be mandatory for those with federally-backed mortgages on their homes. Mendez says hearing reports of a strong El Nino that could soak the Southland this winter puts the flood map even more into perspective.

“Put into caution that I live here, could there a flash flood things like that, it’s always something to keep in mind,” Mendez said.