Blog · October 14, 2026 · Pennsylvania
Lehigh County Flood Zone Map in Pennsylvania
Look up any Lehigh County address on FEMA's flood map, read the zone, and match it to the parcel record for land around Emmaus.
Main page: Lehigh County, PA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Lehigh County facts and neighboring maps).
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A Lehigh County flood zone map check belongs in the due diligence for any Lehigh County property, from a house lot in Emmaus to farm ground near Alburtis. FEMA's free Flood Map Service Center and the Lehigh County parcel viewer answer it together.
Below are the FEMA links, a plain reading of the zone labels, notes on where water shapes land around Emmaus, and short answers to common questions.
Where to see the official Lehigh County flood zone map
Open the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and type a county street address, say one in Coopersburg. Download the FIRM panel FEMA lists as effective for that part of Lehigh County. For an irregular lot near Emmaus, try FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer viewer, so you can see if the shading reaches a house near Emmaus. Then open the Lehigh County ArcGIS parcel map for Lehigh County to confirm the parcel near Coopersburg. Laying the county parcel outline beside the FEMA shading lists if a homesite near Emmaus sits above or inside the zone.
The county map you'll pair it with
Lehigh County publishes its parcels on the Lehigh County ArcGIS parcel map, which runs on an Esri ArcGIS web map, free to use for a lot in Alburtis or a tract close to Emmaus. Use the search box for an address in Alburtis or a parcel number, or simply zoom in and click a tract close to Emmaus. Our Lehigh County, PA page keeps the official link and the maps next door to Emmaus in one place.
High, moderate and minimal risk in Lehigh County
On the FIRM covering Lehigh County, zones that start with A or V are Special Flood Hazard Areas, meaning FEMA estimates a 1-percent annual chance of flooding. Zone AE near Emmaus means FEMA published a base flood elevation; plain Zone A means no detailed elevation was studied. Land near Emmaus in shaded X (Zone B on older maps) falls between the base flood and the 500-year flood. Unshaded Zone X near Emmaus is minimal risk.
Unmapped creeks in Lehigh County
A low spot on a Lehigh County tract outside any mapped zone, which is why it is worth walking the ground after a heavy rain.
A short buyer checklist for Allentown
For a house near Bethlehem, ask the seller for any elevation certificate on file and the current flood insurance declarations page. An agent working in Lehigh County can quote flood coverage once you know the zone for the lot near Bethlehem.
Reading the fine print on a Lehigh County panel
Zones on the map covering Alburtis can change after a restudy, so the date on the county panel matters. A floodway on a county panel marks the part of the floodplain that carries the main flow, and it is treated more strictly than the rest of the zone near Breinigsville.
What a flood zone means for a Lehigh County buyer
Insurance is the practical stake for a Lehigh County buyer. When a structure near Emmaus falls inside an A or V zone and secures a loan from a federally regulated or insured lender, federal rules call for flood insurance, provided the community near Coopersburg takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program. Outside the A zones around Emmaus, insurance is a choice, not a mandate, though a lender in Pennsylvania can still ask for it. Where a structure near Coopersburg looks higher than the shading suggests, FEMA's LOMA process allows a review, typically backed by an elevation certificate from a surveyor who works in the county. Placing fill on low ground near Coopersburg typically needs a floodplain permit, so call the county or the town office in Coopersburg before work starts.
Lehigh County flood zones questions
Who prepares an elevation certificate for a house in Coopersburg?
A professional surveyor or engineer prepares it, and the building office serving Coopersburg may already have one on file for newer construction.
What does 100-year flood mean for Lehigh County land?
No, ground around Coopersburg mapped that way has a 1-percent chance of flooding every year, and two floods in one decade near Coopersburg are possible.
Can I build in a flood zone in Lehigh County?
Often, but local floodplain rules apply; ask the county or town building office in Coopersburg before you buy.
Where can I see flood zones for land near Bethlehem?
Look it up at FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, then match the parcel lines in the Lehigh County ArcGIS parcel map; for land near Bethlehem, a zone starting with A or V is high risk.
What does BFE mean on the flood map for Coopersburg?
On the map covering Coopersburg, the base flood elevation marks how high the 100-year flood is expected to rise; elevation certificates in Lehigh County are measured against it.
Open the official Lehigh County, PA parcel map Lehigh 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.