Blog · October 14, 2026 · Pennsylvania
Forest County Flood Zone Map, Pennsylvania: a practical guide
Flood zones are set by FEMA, and checking one near Brookston takes a few minutes.
Main page: Forest County, PA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
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Weighing a property around Tionesta? The Forest County flood zone map tells you whether it sits in a FEMA flood zone, and the lookup is free. In this county guide: finding the address on FEMA's map, decoding A, AE and X, and pairing it with the county ArcGIS parcel map for land near Cooksburg.
Where the Forest County flood zone map lives
On ground around Tionesta, start with FEMA's Flood Map Service Center: enter the street address, and pick the FIRMette or map view. Vacant ground around East Hickory can still be found: search the nearest road and click the spot.
Pulling up a parcel
Your first stop is the Forest County ArcGIS parcel map; it maps every assessed parcel from Allegheny Islands Wilderness to Marienville. If you only know roughly where the land is, pan along US Route 62 and click the parcel itself, which applies near Tionesta as much as anywhere. In and around Allegheny Islands Wilderness, save the parcel ID from that panel; each office in the county will want it.
Decoding the flood zone labels
If you're looking near Allegheny Islands Wilderness, zones beginning with A or V are Special Flood Hazard Areas, land with a 1-percent chance of flooding in any year. For a parcel near Allegheny National Forest, shaded Zone X is moderate risk, between the 1% and 0.2% annual chance floods; plain X, or C on older maps, means minimal mapped risk.
On site with the map
Most viewers work in a phone browser, handy when you're parked on a road near Marienville, though signal can drop in rural spots. A saved image of the lot near Clarington and its lines helps when you meet an owner or agent.
Parcel lines plus flood zones
FEMA doesn't draw property lines, so pair it with the Forest County ArcGIS parcel map to see exactly which lot near East Hickory you're looking at.
Neighboring parcel maps
The county meets Clarion County, Elk County, Jefferson County, McKean County, and Venango County, all with their own assessor records, especially near Marienville. Acreage along the edge near Allegheny Islands Wilderness can show up in two county records, so check the adjacent map before you assume the acreage. With a lot near Cooksburg, the Platbookmapper state page lists each bordering county map across Pennsylvania.
Low spots and local drainage
Small streams around Cooksburg may not have detailed mapping, so walk the land after rain. Marshy spots near Tionesta can limit building too; check the National Wetlands Inventory mapper for a first look.
Offices that can help
If the acreage or value on a parcel near Tionesta looks off belong with the county assessment office, since that office keeps the assessment data. Zoning, permits and septic questions near Tionesta go to planning, building or health offices, town or county, depending on location.
Reading the legal description
Older tracts around East Hickory are often described by metes and bounds, listing bearings, distances and landmarks. Town lots near Cooksburg are typically described by lot and block, making them easier to find. Copy the legal description from the record for the parcel near Cook Forest State Park when you talk to a surveyor.
Lenders and permits
For a structure inside an A or V zone and a federally regulated lender is involved, mandatory purchase rules apply where the community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, whether the land is near Brookston or elsewhere in the county. Building or adding on near Marienville in a mapped zone can trigger elevation rules; ask the local floodplain administrator before you plan.
Forest County in a few facts
Tionesta serves as the county seat, which is where the courthouse records live. You'll also find Marienville, Brookston, Clarington, and Cooksburg, each with its own cluster of lots. Around 6,449 people call Forest County home (Census estimate, 2023) spread over roughly 427 square miles. Forest County dates to 1857, so old deeds can run back a long way. Features like Allegheny National Forest make handy reference points on the map near Cook Forest State Park.
Questions to ask before you buy
Closer to Clarington, request for any Elevation Certificate before closing; an insurance quote early keeps the budget honest.
Limits of the parcel data
For property near Allegheny Islands Wilderness, the acreage figure is a tax-roll number; only a licensed surveyor sets the real boundary on the ground. Owner names and values update on a schedule, so a fresh transfer around Allegheny National Forest might lag behind.
Forest County: common questions
What does Zone X mean near Allegheny Islands Wilderness?
Good question; shaded X is moderate risk and unshaded X is minimal risk; many owners near Allegheny Islands Wilderness buy coverage anyway.
Is my property near Tionesta in a flood zone?
Good question; search the address near Cooksburg on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center; no account is needed.
What is a base flood elevation near Allegheny Islands Wilderness?
For most people, the base flood elevation is the water level expected in the 1% annual chance flood; surveyors near East Hickory use it often.
When is flood insurance required in Forest County?
In most cases, for a building near Brookston in an A or V zone with a federally backed or regulated mortgage, it's generally required, in communities that take part in the NFIP.
Where do I ask about an assessment near Allegheny Islands Wilderness?
With a lot near Allegheny Islands Wilderness, the county assessment office handles values and the tax roll, and the Recorder of Deeds keeps deeds.
Open the official Forest County, PA 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.