Blog · October 14, 2026 · Illinois
Reading the Washington Flood Zone Map for a parcel
The zone on FEMA's map affects insurance, building and resale near Morton.
Main page: Tazewell County, IL GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
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Before you buy or build near Deer Creek, pull up the Washington flood zone map: FEMA's zone label affects insurance, permits and resale. What this Washington guide covers: the free FEMA tools, what each zone label means, when insurance is required and what a LOMA is.
Getting started with the Washington flood zone map
The official source is FEMA's Flood Map Service Center: type an address near Morton, then open the map view for that panel. Rural land near Creve Coeur with no street number can still be found: pan from the closest town and click the spot.
Where the parcel data lives
Go first to the Tazewell County ArcGIS parcel map; it covers every assessed parcel around East Peoria and North Pekin. For a parcel near Morton, put in a street address, an owner's name or a parcel number, then pick the result to center the map on it. For a home near Creve Coeur, write down the parcel ID from that panel; each office in the county will want it.
Where Washington fits in
Washington is part of Tazewell County, Illinois, and the county assessor maps its lots. Near Creve Coeur, the municipality handles things like zoning, permits and utilities within town limits, and the county still keeps the parcel and deed records. Land beyond the city limits out by Creve Coeur usually falls under county rules rather than the town's.
The paper trail behind a parcel
The map is an index, not the title: recorded deeds, subdivision plats and easements covering ground around East Peoria are filed with the county Recorder of Deeds (in many counties the County Clerk and Recorder). For a tract near Creve Coeur, use the book and page from the tax record so staff can find the deed fast.
Getting your bearings
Pekin holds the county offices, where most land records are kept. Smaller places on the map include East Peoria, Morton, Deer Creek, and Creve Coeur, where town lots give way to larger tracts. Roughly 129,541 people call Tazewell County home (Census Bureau estimate, 2023) spread over some 646 square miles. Tazewell County was organized in 1827, which matters when you trace an old farm's title.
What the zone letters mean
If you're looking near North Pekin, zones beginning with A or V mark the Special Flood Hazard Area, meaning a 1% or greater chance of flooding each year. For a parcel near Marquette Heights, shaded Zone X marks moderate flood hazard, between the 1% and 0.2% annual chance floods; unshaded X means minimal mapped risk.
Who handles what
If the acreage or value on a parcel near North Pekin looks off are handled by the Supervisor of Assessments, working with township assessors, since that office keeps the assessment data. Zoning, permits and septic questions near Marquette Heights go to planning, building or health offices, depending on whether the land is inside town limits.
Using it on a phone
Most viewers work in a phone browser, which helps when you're standing on land near North Pekin, but coverage can be spotty out of town. A screenshot of the parcel near Deer Creek with its ID helps when you meet an owner or agent.
A word on accuracy
Tax maps are drawn for assessment, not surveyed, so a fence near Marquette Heights may sit a few yards off the line on screen. For acreage around East Peoria, owner names and values update on a schedule, so a deed recorded last month may not show yet.
A short flood checklist
Request about past flood claims on the property near Deer Creek; an insurance quote early keeps the budget honest.
Matching the zone to the lot lines
FEMA doesn't draw property lines, so check the Tazewell County ArcGIS parcel map too for the outline of the tract near Marquette Heights.
Low spots and local drainage
Small streams around Creve Coeur may not have detailed mapping, so look for water marks and debris lines. Marshy spots near East Peoria can limit building too; check the National Wetlands Inventory mapper for a first look.
What a flood zone means for a buyer
In and around East Peoria, ask for an Elevation Certificate: it compares the building to the BFE. New construction in a floodplain near Creve Coeur often needs a floodplain permit; ask the local floodplain administrator before you plan.
Washington: common questions
Is AE a high-risk flood zone in Washington?
In most cases, both are high-risk zones, but only AE has a base flood elevation, so builders near East Peoria design to that elevation.
Can a flood zone near North Pekin change?
Good question; a new study can move a zone line near East Peoria; your community is notified before changes take effect.
When is flood insurance required in Washington?
Short answer: for a building near Deer Creek in an A or V zone with a federally backed or regulated mortgage, it's generally required; outside those zones it's your call.
How can I tell if a house near Morton is in a flood zone?
Usually, FEMA's free map shows the zone for any spot near Deer Creek; then confirm the parcel on the county viewer.
What's the tax parcel number used for near Morton?
It's the number the Supervisor of Assessments, working with township assessors uses to track a tract near Morton, and it's on the record panel and tax bills.
Open the official Tazewell County, IL 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.