Blog · October 14, 2026 · Idaho
Using the Butte County Flood Zone Map
Flood zones are set by FEMA, and checking one near Big Lost River takes a few minutes.
Main page: Butte County, ID GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
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Ahead of any purchase around Moore, look at the Butte County flood zone map: a mapped flood zone changes insurance, building rules and resale. This county guide covers: locating a parcel on FEMA's map, decoding A, AE and X, and pairing it with the county ArcGIS parcel map for land near Moore.
Getting started with the Butte County flood zone map
For a parcel near Big Lost River, the official source is FEMA's Flood Map Service Center: enter the street address, then open the map view for that panel. A tract near Snake River Plain without an address is still easy to locate: search the nearest road then click the parcel area.
Where the parcel data lives
Go first to the Butte County ArcGIS parcel map; it includes each tax parcel around Butte City and Snake River Plain. Out toward Snake River Plain, enter a street address, an owner's name or a parcel number, then pick the result to center the map on it. For a home near Snake River Plain, the record panel normally shows the owner of record, acreage on the tax roll, the parcel number and in many cases the last transfer.
Reading A, AE and X
For land near Little Lost River, A and V zones are Special Flood Hazard Areas, which FEMA defines as a 1% annual chance of flooding. For a tract near Snake River Plain, a low-risk label isn't a guarantee: according to FEMA, many claims come from moderate- and low-risk areas.
Who handles what
Recorded documents for a parcel near Snake River Plain are with the County Recorder (the county clerk serves as recorder), often with an online index. Zoning, permits and septic questions near Butte City need the planning or permitting office, depending on whether the land is inside town limits.
Land on the county line
Butte County meets Bingham County, Blaine County, Clark County, Custer County, and Jefferson County, and each of those keeps its own parcel map. Ground near Butte City that runs to the line may be split in two county records, so check the neighboring map before you assume the acreage. Out toward Little Lost River, our state page lists every neighboring county map for Idaho.
Sections, lots and bearings
Idaho uses the Public Land Survey System, which means a tract near Butte City is described by section, township and range. A standard section is about one square mile, roughly 640 acres, with 36 sections to a township, though real sections near Howe vary in size. Write down the legal description for the tract near Arco for any title or survey request.
Low spots and local drainage
Small streams around Arco aren't always studied in detail, so walk the land after rain. Wetlands near Little Lost River can limit building even outside a flood zone; the National Wetlands Inventory mapper shows mapped wetlands.
Limits of the parcel data
For land near Howe, listed acreage is a tax-roll number; just a licensed surveyor sets the real lines on the ground. Records update in batches, so a recent sale near Big Lost River can take weeks to appear.
Taking the map into the field
The parcel map usually runs in a mobile browser, useful out on a road near Butte City, so load it before you lose signal. A printout of the tract near Little Lost River keeps working without signal.
Parcel lines plus flood zones
FEMA doesn't draw property lines, so check the Butte County ArcGIS parcel map too to confirm you have the right parcel near Arco.
Butte County in a few facts
Arco serves as the county seat, which is where the courthouse records live. You'll also find Butte City, Moore, Howe, and Little Lost River, each with its own cluster of lots. Around 2,758 people call Butte County home (Census Bureau estimate, 2023) across about 2,236 square miles. The county was organized in 1917, so old deeds can run back a long way, especially near Little Lost River. Features like Little Lost River, Big Lost River, and Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve are easy to spot when you zoom out.
What to request from a seller
Ask the listing agent for any Elevation Certificate on the property near Howe; an insurance quote early keeps the budget honest.
Lenders and permits
With a lot near Butte City, an Elevation Certificate from a surveyor helps: it compares the building to the BFE. Building or adding on near Butte City in a mapped zone often needs a floodplain permit; call the permitting office early.
Quick answers
Is Zone X safe from flooding around Little Lost River?
Short answer: Zone X near Snake River Plain means moderate (shaded) or minimal (unshaded) mapped risk, and floods still happen outside high-risk zones.
How often are flood maps updated for land near Moore?
For a tract near Moore, FEMA revises flood maps panel by panel as new studies finish; your community is notified before changes take effect.
Does the county parcel map show flood zones around Snake River Plain?
Usually, a flood layer may appear in the county ArcGIS parcel map layer list; confirm a lot near Big Lost River on FEMA's map either way.
When is flood insurance required in Butte County?
If the land is near Arco, it's typically required only for structures in high-risk zones with federally backed loans; outside those zones it's your call.
Why do offices ask for the parcel ID for land near Butte City?
It's the number the County Assessor uses to track a tract near Howe; copy it before you call anyone.
Open the official Butte County, ID parcel map See it in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.