Blog · October 14, 2026 · Washington
Pend Oreille County Flood Zone Map in Washington
FEMA's free flood maps and the Pend Oreille County parcel viewer, used together for property near Metaline Falls.
Main page: Pend Oreille County, WA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Pend Oreille County facts and neighboring maps).
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Land along the creek bottoms near Dalkena and the flats outside Metaline Falls are where a Pend Oreille County flood zone map lookup matters most. You can check it yourself for any Metaline Falls address in a few minutes.
We'll cover finding a Pend Oreille County address on FEMA's map, what Zone A, AE and X mean, how the county viewer fits in, and what to do if the map looks wrong.
Look up the Pend Oreille County flood zone map step by step
Start at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and enter the property address in Metaline or anywhere else in the county. The site returns the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panel covering that Metaline location, which you can view or download. For an interactive view of Pend Oreille County, try FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer viewer, which shows how much of a Pend Oreille County parcel sits inside the zone. Then open the Washington Current Parcels layer in ArcGIS Map Viewer for Pend Oreille County to confirm the parcel near Metaline. If the Pend Oreille County viewer has a floodplain layer, treat it as a convenience copy and confirm on FEMA's map.
Step one: the free Pend Oreille County viewer
Pend Oreille County parcels are viewed through a statewide map, the Washington Current Parcels layer in ArcGIS Map Viewer; zoom toward Cusick to reach them. Most people find their Pend Oreille County tract fastest by searching an address in Metaline, then clicking the outline. Our Pend Oreille County, WA page keeps the official link and the maps next door to Metaline in one place.
Zone A, AE and X in plain English
For a lot in Metaline, the label matters more than the color: A and V zones are Special Flood Hazard Areas, land with a 1-percent chance of flooding in any given year (the base or 100-year flood). Where a Pend Oreille County tract shows Zone AE, there's a base flood elevation to compare a building against; in Zone A there is not one. Land near Cusick in shaded X (Zone B on older maps) falls between the base flood and the 500-year flood. Unshaded X (or C) on the Pend Oreille County panel means minimal risk.
Unmapped creeks in Pend Oreille County
Small streams and ditches near Metaline may not be studied in detail, so treat an unmapped channel as a reason to ask questions, not proof the ground stays dry.
Seller questions about flood history
Request any past flood claims history for a Pend Oreille County property before closing; it tells you more than the map alone. Then call an insurance agent who writes policies around Ione and get a quote using the zone and the county parcel address.
Insurance, permits and map changes
Here's why the zone matters at a closing in Metaline. Where a building in Metaline falls inside an A or V zone and secures a loan from a federally regulated or insured lender, federal rules call for flood insurance, as long as Pend Oreille County or the town participates in the NFIP. In Zone X near Metaline, insurance is a choice, not a mandate, although a lender in Washington can still ask for it. When a county homesite is on a rise inside a mapped zone, FEMA's LOMA process allows a review; a surveyor near Cusick can supply the elevation data. New construction in a Pend Oreille County Special Flood Hazard Area frequently requires a permit and an elevation check; the Pend Oreille County floodplain administrator can say what applies.
Questions about the Pend Oreille County flood zone map
Can I build in a flood zone in Pend Oreille County?
Often, but local floodplain rules apply; ask the county or town building office in Metaline before you buy.
My lot in Metaline shows Zone AE. What does that mean?
Zone AE on a lot in Metaline is a mapped 100-year floodplain with a base flood elevation, so mandatory insurance rules apply to federally backed mortgages.
Who prepares an elevation certificate for a house in Metaline?
Hire a licensed surveyor or engineer who works in Pend Oreille County; ask the local floodplain office first in case one exists.
Does a 100-year floodplain near Newport flood only once a century?
No; land near Newport in the 100-year floodplain faces a 1-percent annual chance, and two floods in one decade near Metaline are possible.
Is flood insurance required for a Zone X lot in Metaline?
FEMA does not require it for a Zone X lot in Metaline, but coverage is available and some lenders ask for it.
What is a base flood elevation for a Pend Oreille County property?
For a county property in Zone AE, it is the projected water surface in the base flood, and a surveyor compares the building near Metaline to it.
Open the official Pend Oreille County, WA parcel map Pend Oreille 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.