Resources

General Resources

The following resources are applicable to a wide array of our customers.  If you don't find what you're looking for here, please check the other tabs.

• Permitting
• List of Surveyors who have attended an Elevation Certificate Workshop
• List of Engineers who have successfully submitted reports for Floodplain Use Permits
• Rules and Procedures (Ordinance, Policies and Procedures, District Standards, checklists and guidance documents)
• Maps
• Flood Hazard Map (Determine if your property is impacted by a regulatory floodplain or riparian habitat. This map does NOT include erosion hazard areas or platted floodplains/erosion hazard areas.)
• Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs)
• Pima County GIS Maps
• How to Create an Aerial Photo Exhibit Using PimaMaps
• Maps showing road accessibility during floods for Pima County
• Historical aerial photographs  (Aerial photographs dating back to 1936)
• Glossary of flood control related terms
• Links to other flood, weather and water related websites

FEMA Technical Bulletins

 

Standard Construction Details for Structures and Other Site Improvements

The details provided below are standard details that may be used under certain circumstances. They are NOT appropriate for all situations and should not be used without consultation with, and usually a permit from, the District. Inappropriate use of the details could result in creating a hazard or causing harm.

• Site-built structure standard foundation construction details
  • Technical Policy 006: Erosion Protection for Fill pads
  • Technical Policy 014: Erosion Protection for Stem Wall Foundations
• Manufactured Home standard foundation construction details
  • Technical Policy 003: Minimum Construction Standards for Manufactured Homes
  • Technical Policy 006: Erosion Protection for Fill pads
  • Technical Policy 014: Erosion Protection for Stem Wall Foundations
• Improved wash crossing standard construction details
  • Technical Policy 027: Protective Measures for Private Vehicular Access

Resources for Engineers

• FLO-2D Technical Guidance for Hydrologic and Hydraulic Modeling (DRAFT)
• Low Impact Development/Green Infrastructure (LID/GI)
• Software
• Historical aerial photographs (Aerial photographs dating back to 1936)
• PC-Hydro PimaMaps
• Elevation Certificate Page
• Guidelines for Solar Array Projects
• Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs)
• Request Form and Disclaimer for Digital FIRM Maps 
  • District floodplain GIS layers are now available to the public at the Pima County Geospatial Data Portal website.
• Table of Regulatory Discharges
• Map of Critical Basins within Unincorporated Pima County
• Drainage and Channel Design Standards for Local Drainage
• Annual NRCS Hydrologic Soils Update
• FEMA Letter of Acceptance for FLO-2D Pro in Pima County
• City of Tucson Standard Manual For Drainage Design and Floodplain Management In Tucson, Arizona, December 1989, Revised, July 1998.
• Pima County Storm Drain Design Guidelines and Standards Plans
• Infiltration Study for Deep Foundations in Ephemeral Streams, Naresh C. Samtani, NCS Geo Resources
  • Infiltration Study Final Report for Drilled Shaft Foundations of Magee Road and La Cholla Boulevard Bridges over the CDO Wash, July 15, 2011.
  • Note: The 2011 report demonstrated that a stream bed in Pima County should experience saturation to a relatively shallow depth which dissipates within a short time frame. Since 2011, additional studies have updated some of the procedures, and designers should refer to the article “Infiltration Study for Deep Foundations in Ephermeral Streams”, 2020, for guidance in using current best practices. 

Resources for Surveyors

• Elevation Certificate Page
• Elevation Certificate (A fillable PDF version of the FEMA Elevation Certificate specific to unincorporated Pima County.)
• Technical Policy 113:  Completion of Elevation Certificates (contains District specific information for completing FEMA Elevation Certificates)
• FEMA Elevation Certificate web page

 

Resources for Commercial and Multi-lot Development

• Rules and Procedures
• Low Impact Development/Green Infrastructure (LID/GI)
• Drainage and Channel Design Standards for Local Drainage
• Design Standards for Stormwater Detention and Retention
• Rule Clarification - Runoff Detention Systems Requirements of Ordinance Section 16.48.040
• Guidelines for Solar Array Projects
• Detention Waiver Request Form
• Software
• Regulated Riparian Habitat Mitigation Standards and Implementation Guidelines (Onsite Guidelines)
• Regulated Riparian Habitat Offsite Mitigation Guidelines (Offsite Guidelines)
• Development Review Mitigation Plan Checklist
• Map of Critical Basins within Unincorporated Pima County
• Annual NRCS Hydrologic Soils Update
• FEMA Letter of Acceptance for FLO-2D Pro in Pima County

Floodplain Resources for Real Estate Professionals

The Pima County Regional Flood Control District (District) wants to help you understand the potential pitfalls of buying or selling properties that are in the floodplain and protect your clients in the process. The District has created a dedicated website for real estate professionals filled with resources on floodplains, insurance, safety, and more.

Homeowner's Associations (HOAs)

• Drainage Maintenance Guidelines for Homeowner's Associations
• Guidelines for the Maintenance of Regulated Riparian Habitat (RRH)  
• Low Impact Development/Green Infrastructure (LID/GI)

Software

The District has created a number of programs and calculation sheets to help standardize floodplain and erosion hazard analysis within Pima County.  Please visit the Software Page for a complete list of the software available.

Manuals

Check out the listing below for various manuals currently available on-line. New manuals will be added as electronic versions become available.

Engineering Manuals

• Design Standards for Stormwater Detention and Retention
• Drainage and Channel Design Standards for Local Drainage
• The PC-Hydro manual for hydrology can be found on our software page.
• Pima County Storm Drain Design Guidelines and Standards Plans

Guidance Manuals

• Guidelines for the Development of Regional Multiple-Use Detention/Retention Basins in Pima County Arizona
• Low Impact Development/Green Infrastructure (LID/GI)

Riparian Habitat Mitigation Guidelines

• Regulated Riparian Habitat Mitigation Standards and Implementation Guidelines (Onsite Guidelines)
• Regulated Riparian Habitat Offsite Mitigation Guidelines (Offsite Guidelines)

MyAlerts Flood Alert Messaging

The Pima County Office of Emergency Management has made it possible through a system called MyAlerts for the Regional Flood Control District to provide near-real-time flood alerts to Pima County residents within certain watersheds. The MyAlerts Flood Alert Messaging webpage provides information about MyAlerts and information specific to the covered watersheds.