Flood map meeting slated for Feb. 26

Two sections of the county's updated flood maps will be the focus of a public workshop slated for Thursday, Feb. 26.

The workshop will take place from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the headquarters of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2379 Broad St. in Brooksville.

Information on properties in the Tooke Lake and Wiscon watersheds will be available.

The flood maps are used to determine the need for flood insurance; for land use and zoning decisions; to help manage development in and around floodplains and wetlands and preserve land and water resources.

The water management district known as Swiftmud and Hernando County are working together to update the maps, some of which are 30 years old.

Public input is used to develop the maps, which are then submitted to Swiftmud's governing board for review. The maps must then be approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

For more information or to find out which watershed you live in, go to www.WaterMatters.org/floodrisk/, or call Swiftmud at 352-796-7211, Ext. 4297.