Blog · October 14, 2026 · Arkansas
The Howard County Flood Zone Map: an Arkansas guide
FEMA's free flood maps and the Howard County parcel viewer, used together for property near Nashville.
Main page: Howard County, AR GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Howard County facts and neighboring maps).
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Is that lot in Dierks in a flood zone? The Howard County flood zone map answer comes from FEMA, and it's free to look up. FEMA's free Flood Map Service Center and the Howard County parcel viewer answer it together.
The sections below go from the FEMA search to the Howard County parcel record, then cover insurance, permits and map changes near Nashville.
Where to see the official Howard County flood zone map
Open the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and type a county street address, say one in Dierks. Download the FIRM panel FEMA lists as effective for that part of Howard County. For an interactive view of the county, try FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer viewer, so you can see if the shading reaches a house near Nashville. Then open the Howard County ArcGIS parcel map for Howard County to confirm the parcel near Dierks. If the Howard County viewer has a floodplain layer, treat it as a convenience copy and confirm on FEMA's map.
Opening the Howard County parcel viewer
Howard County publishes its parcels on the Howard County ArcGIS parcel map, which runs on an Esri ArcGIS web map, free to use for a lot in Mineral Springs or a property near Dierks. Most people find their Howard County tract fastest by searching an address in Dierks, then clicking the outline. For a backup route to the map covering Dierks, our Howard County directory entry keeps the link current.
Deeds and plats behind the Howard County map
Deeds and recorded plats for Howard County are filed with the circuit clerk, who ordinarily serves as ex officio recorder. Arkansas ordinarily makes the circuit clerk the county recorder, so the Howard County circuit clerk's office is the usual place for recorded deeds. Copy the parcel ID and legal description from the county record well before you request a deed for land near Nashville.
Reading the zones on a Howard County flood map
For a lot in Dierks, the label matters more than the color: A and V zones are Special Flood Hazard Areas, defined by a 1-percent annual chance of being flooded. Zone AE near Nashville means FEMA published a base flood elevation; plain Zone A means no detailed elevation was studied. Land near Nashville in shaded X (Zone B on older maps) sits in the moderate band between the 100-year and 500-year floods. Unshaded X (or C) on the Howard County panel means minimal risk.
Low ground and small streams around Dierks
A low spot on a Howard County tract outside any mapped zone, which is why it's worth walking the ground after a heavy rain.
Tracts that cross the Howard County line
Howard County borders Hempstead County, Little River County, Montgomery County, Pike County, and Polk County, and each keeps its own parcel map and records. Our Arkansas page links each map neighboring Howard County.
When the map affects a deal
Here's why the zone matters at a closing in Dierks. If a barn or house outside Dierks sits in a Special Flood Hazard Area and is financed by a regulated or federally insured lender, flood insurance is mandatory, provided the community near Dierks takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program. For a Howard County home in shaded or unshaded X, insurance is a choice, not a mandate, although some lenders require it anyway. Where a structure near Dierks looks higher than the shading suggests, a Letter of Map Amendment request is the formal route, supported by elevation data from a licensed land surveyor. Placing fill on low ground near Dierks most commonly needs a floodplain permit, so call the county or the town office in Dierks before work starts.
From Nashville to the back roads
From Nashville, the seat of the county, the map spreads out to Dierks, Mineral Springs, and Tollette. Unincorporated communities in the county, including Center Point, Saratoga, and Athens, show up as small groups of parcels along the roads. Census Bureau estimates put Howard County at about 12,533 residents in 2023 on approximately 587 square miles of land. Outside Dierks, most of the county map is farm, ranch or timber ground with large, irregular tracts.
Howard County flood zones questions
Where can I see flood zones for land near Mineral Springs?
Search the Tollette address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center; the effective panel displays the zone, and the county parcel map confirms the tract.
Who prepares an elevation certificate for a house in Tollette?
A licensed land surveyor or engineer prepares it, and the building office serving Tollette may already have one on file for newer construction.
Is there a floodplain layer in the Howard County ArcGIS parcel map?
Some county viewers carry a flood layer, but FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official source for Howard County.
Can I build in a flood zone in Howard County?
Building in a Special Flood Hazard Area near Tollette most commonly needs a floodplain permit and may require elevating the structure, so check with the county floodplain administrator.
My house near Mineral Springs is in Zone X. Is insurance required?
For a Zone X house near Mineral Springs, federal rules do not require flood insurance; buying it is still a choice worth pricing.
Can a flood zone in Howard County be changed?
For a lot in Tollette, hire a surveyor for an elevation certificate, then file a LOMA request with FEMA.
Open the official Howard County, AR parcel map Howard 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.