Blog · October 14, 2026 · Louisiana
West Feliciana Parish Flood Zone Map, Louisiana: a practical guide
Flood zones are set by FEMA, and checking one near Louisiana State Penitentiary takes a few minutes.
Main page: West Feliciana Parish, LA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
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Before an offer near St. Francisville, check the West Feliciana Parish flood zone map: FEMA's zone label affects insurance, building rules and resale. This West Feliciana Parish guide covers: locating a parcel on FEMA's map, reading the zone codes, and pairing it with the SmartCAMA SmartMaps.
The West Feliciana Parish flood zone map: start here
For a more interactive look, open the National Flood Hazard Layer viewer, which draws the zones over aerial imagery, whether the land is near Louisiana State Penitentiary or elsewhere in the parish. A tract near Louisiana State Penitentiary without an address can still be found: zoom in from the nearest road then click the parcel area.
Opening the official parcel viewer
Begin with the SmartCAMA SmartMaps; it covers each tax parcel around Bains and Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge. For a home near Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge, enter a street address, an owner's name or a parcel number, and the matching parcel lights up. If the land is near Bains, save the parcel ID before closing the panel; each records desk in the parish asks for it first.
Reading the legal description
Louisiana follows the Public Land Survey System, so deeds around Wakefield reference sections and townships. Each section is nominally a mile square, about 640 acres, and a township holds 36 of them, though corrections make some sections near Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge odd-sized. Keep the legal description for land near Tunica for any title or survey request.
Field tips
The parcel map usually runs in a mobile browser, which helps when you're standing on land near St. Francisville, but coverage can be spotty out of town. A screenshot of the parcel near Wakefield with its ID helps when you meet an owner or agent.
Zones on the West Feliciana Parish flood zone map
With a lot near St. Francisville, zones beginning with A or V mark the Special Flood Hazard Area, which FEMA defines as a 1% annual chance of flooding. On ground around St. Francisville, minimal risk is not no risk: FEMA notes that floods happen outside mapped zones too.
Deeds, plats and who keeps them
Before you sign anything, request the recorded deed from the Clerk of Court; the parcel line is a drawing of it, whether the land is near Wakefield or elsewhere in the parish. For land near Louisiana State Penitentiary, use the instrument number shown in the record panel to skip a name search.
Neighboring parcel maps
West Feliciana Parish touches Avoyelles Parish, Concordia Parish, East Feliciana Parish, Pointe Coupee Parish, and West Baton Rouge Parish, all with their own assessor records. A tract near the line by Tunica can be split in two parish records, so look at the adjacent map as well. Around Tunica, our state page lists each bordering parish map across Louisiana.
Use the county map alongside FEMA
FEMA doesn't draw property lines, so check the SmartCAMA SmartMaps too for the outline of the tract near Wakefield.
A quick look at the area
St. Francisville is the county seat, where most land records are kept. Other places on the map include Louisiana State Penitentiary, Bains, Tunica, and Wakefield. Roughly 15,371 people live in West Feliciana Parish (Census estimate, 2023) spread over some 403 square miles. West Feliciana Parish was organized in 1824, so old deeds can run back a long way. Places such as Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge make handy reference points on the map.
Insurance, lenders and building
Around St. Francisville, ask for an Elevation Certificate: it records the building's elevation against the base flood. New construction in a floodplain near Louisiana State Penitentiary usually means extra permit review; check with the parish or town building office early.
Which office to call
Questions about value or the owner field for land near Tunica are handled by the Parish Assessor, since that office keeps the assessment data. Building or septic questions for a lot near Tunica go to planning, building or health offices, town or parish, depending on location.
Water near Bains
Creeks and ditches near Tunica may not have detailed mapping, so walk the land after rain. Wet ground around Wakefield is a separate issue from flood zones; check the National Wetlands Inventory mapper for a first look.
What to request from a seller
For land near Louisiana State Penitentiary, ask the seller for any Elevation Certificate before closing; getting a quote early avoids surprises.
Quick answers
Is my property near Louisiana State Penitentiary in a flood zone?
For most people, FEMA's free map shows the zone for any spot near Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge; no account is needed.
Will my lender require flood insurance near Bains?
For property near St. Francisville, it's typically required only for structures in high-risk zones with federally backed loans, in communities that take part in the NFIP.
How often are flood maps updated in West Feliciana Parish?
In and around St. Francisville, FEMA revises flood maps panel by panel as new studies finish; check the effective date on the panel.
What is the difference between Zone A and AE for land near Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge?
Good question; an AE zone has a 1% annual chance of flooding and a base flood elevation, which shapes building rules near Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Is the parcel map a survey near Tunica?
Near Wakefield, parcel lines are tax drawings, not surveys; a survey sets the real corners
Open the official West Feliciana Parish, LA 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.