Blog · October 14, 2026 · New York
The Cattaraugus County Flood Zone Map: a New York guide
FEMA's free flood maps and the Cattaraugus County parcel viewer, used together for property near Allegany.
Main page: Cattaraugus County, NY GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Cattaraugus County facts and neighboring maps).
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A Cattaraugus County flood zone map check belongs in the due diligence for any Cattaraugus County property, from a house lot in Ashford to farm ground near Carrollton. Here's how to read FEMA's map for a Cattaraugus County, NY property and match it to the parcel record.
The sections below go from the FEMA search to the Cattaraugus County parcel record, then cover insurance, permits and map changes near Carrollton.
How to use the Cattaraugus County flood zone map
Open the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and type a county street address, say one in Coldspring. The site returns the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panel covering that Coldspring location, which you can view or download. On acreage outside Coldspring, the National Flood Hazard Layer viewer is easier to use, so you can see whether the shading reaches a house near Conewango. Then open the Cattaraugus County ArcGIS parcel map for Cattaraugus County to confirm the parcel near Coldspring. The Cattaraugus County record gives the parcel ID and legal description that an insurer or lender near Coldspring may ask for.
The county map you'll pair it with
The county's own public map is the Cattaraugus County ArcGIS parcel map, built on an Esri ArcGIS web map, and it opens without an account for parcels in Dayton and the rest of the county. Most people track down their Cattaraugus County tract fastest by searching an address in Coldspring, then clicking the outline. Bookmark our Cattaraugus County page too; it tracks the official New York link if it moves and lists the maps around Dayton.
High, moderate and minimal risk in Cattaraugus County
Any Cattaraugus County parcel shaded as Zone A, AE, AH or AO sits in what FEMA calls a Special Flood Hazard Area, defined by a 1-percent annual chance of being flooded. A surveyor working near Coldspring uses the base flood elevation printed for AE zones; unnumbered A zones don't have one. Land near Conewango in shaded X (Zone B on older maps) is moderate risk, between the 1-percent and 0.2-percent annual chance lines. Unshaded Zone X near Conewango is minimal risk.
Low ground and small streams around Coldspring
A creek near Conewango that lists no detailed zone, which is why it's worth walking the ground after a heavy rain.
Questions to ask before buying in Cattaraugus County
For a house near Allegany, ask the seller for any elevation certificate on file and the current flood insurance declarations page. Then call an insurance agent who writes policies around Ashford and get a quote using the zone and the county parcel address.
Floodways and restudies near Coldspring
The FIRM panel for Cattaraugus County carries an effective date; if it's old, ask the county floodplain office whether new maps for land near Coldspring are in progress. A floodway on a county panel marks the part of the floodplain that carries the main flow, and it's treated more strictly than the rest of the zone near Farmersville Station.
What a flood zone means for a Cattaraugus County buyer
The zone lists up again when a loan on a house near Conewango is underwritten. When a structure near Conewango is mapped in a high-risk zone and carries a federally backed mortgage, flood insurance is mandatory under the Flood Disaster Protection Act, wherever the community joins the NFIP. Outside the A zones around Conewango, insurance is a choice, not a mandate, although some lenders require it anyway. If a building near Conewango sits above the flood line, FEMA's LOMA process allows a review, supported by elevation data from a licensed land surveyor. Placing fill on low ground near Coldspring has to meet local floodplain rules; the county floodplain administrator can say what applies.
Cattaraugus County, NY: common questions
Can I build in a flood zone in Cattaraugus County?
Building in a Special Flood Hazard Area near Dayton usually needs a floodplain permit and may require elevating the structure, so check with the county floodplain administrator.
What does 100-year flood mean for Cattaraugus County land?
No, ground around Dayton mapped that way faces a 1-percent annual chance, not a once-a-century schedule.
Where do I get an elevation certificate in Cattaraugus County?
A licensed land surveyor or engineer prepares it, and the building office serving Dayton may already have one on file for newer construction.
Is Zone AE near Allegany high risk?
Yes, a tract around Allegany in Zone AE is high risk: a 1-percent-annual-chance floodplain where FEMA lists a base flood elevation.
How can I check a Cattaraugus County, NY flood zone?
Look it up at FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, then match the parcel lines in the Cattaraugus County ArcGIS parcel map; for land near Allegany, a zone starting with A or V is high risk.
How do I challenge a flood zone for a lot in Dayton?
An owner near Allegany can request a Letter of Map Amendment from FEMA with elevation data, usually from a licensed land surveyor.
Open the official Cattaraugus County, NY parcel map Cattaraugus County 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.