Blog · October 14, 2026 · Alabama
Russell County Flood Zone Map, Alabama
FEMA's free flood maps and the Russell County parcel viewer, used together for property near Phenix City.
Main page: Russell County, AL GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Russell County facts and neighboring maps).
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Land along the creek bottoms near Glenville and the flats outside Phenix City are where a Russell County flood zone map lookup matters most. Here's how to read FEMA's map for a Russell County, AL property and match it to the parcel record.
The sections below go from the FEMA search to the Russell County parcel record, then cover insurance, permits and map changes near Ladonia.
Where to see the official Russell County flood zone map
Start at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and enter the property address in Hurtsboro or anywhere else in the county. The site returns the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panel covering that Hurtsboro location, which you can view or download. For an interactive view of the county, the National Flood Hazard Layer viewer is easier to use; zoom to the property near Ladonia and click. Then open the Russell County ArcGIS parcel map for Russell County to confirm the parcel near Hurtsboro. The Russell County record gives the parcel number and legal description that an insurer or lender near Hurtsboro may ask for.
Step one: the free Russell County viewer
For land around Ladonia, open the Russell County ArcGIS parcel map (an Esri ArcGIS web map); it's the map Russell County itself publishes. Most people find their Russell County tract fastest by searching an address in Ladonia, then clicking the outline. For a backup route to the map covering Ladonia, our Russell County directory entry keeps the link current.
Reading the zones on a Russell County flood map
For a lot in Hurtsboro, 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 Russell County tract displays Zone AE, there's a base flood elevation to compare a building against; in Zone A there is not one. Land near Ladonia in shaded X (Zone B on older maps) falls between the base flood and the 500-year flood. Unshaded Zone X near Ladonia is minimal risk.
Unmapped creeks in Russell County
A low spot on a Russell County tract outside any mapped zone can still flood; FEMA says moderate- and low-risk areas still carry risk.
Questions to ask before buying in Russell County
Request any past flood claims history for a Russell County property before closing; it tells you more than the map alone. Quotes for land near Glenville depend on the zone and the building's elevation, so bring both to the agent.
Floodways and restudies near Phenix City
When FEMA restudies streams in the county, preliminary maps are posted before they take effect, and a lot near Glenville can move in or out of a zone. Floodways, shown as hatched areas on some panels, are the channel and nearby land that must stay open, and building there near Hurtsboro faces the strictest rules.
When the map affects a deal
Lenders watch the zone closely on Russell County properties. If a barn or house outside Hurtsboro sits in a Special Flood Hazard Area and is financed by a regulated or federally insured lender, flood insurance is mandatory; that applies where the local government around Ladonia is in the National Flood Insurance Program. Outside the A zones around Ladonia, insurance is a choice, not a mandate, although some lenders require it anyway. Where a structure near Hurtsboro looks higher than the shading suggests, FEMA's LOMA process allows a review; a surveyor near Ladonia can supply the elevation data. New construction in a Russell County Special Flood Hazard Area most often needs a floodplain permit, and the building office serving Ladonia explains the steps.
Russell County flood zones questions
What is a base flood elevation for a Russell County property?
On the map covering Ladonia, the base flood elevation marks how high the 100-year flood is expected to rise; elevation certificates in Russell County are measured against it.
Does a 100-year floodplain near Hurtsboro flood only once a century?
No; land near Hurtsboro in the 100-year floodplain faces a 1-percent annual chance, so floods can come in back-to-back years.
Is flood insurance required for a Zone X lot in Ladonia?
Not under federal rules; Zone X in Russell County is outside the Special Flood Hazard Area, though a lender can still require coverage.
How do I challenge a flood zone for a lot in Ladonia?
FEMA reviews requests such as a LOMA for Russell County properties; start with an elevation certificate.
What does Zone AE mean on a Russell County flood map?
Zone AE on a lot in Ladonia is a mapped 100-year floodplain with a base flood elevation, so mandatory insurance rules apply to federally backed mortgages.
Is there a floodplain layer in the Russell County ArcGIS parcel map?
Look for a flood or floodplain layer in the Russell County viewer, then verify the zone with FEMA.
Open the official Russell County, AL parcel map Russell 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.