Floodway
Property insurance term
Definition
The channel of a river or stream and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than a designated height (typically one foot). Floodways are shown on Flood Insurance Rate Maps and represent the most hazardous portion of the floodplain due to high velocity water and debris. Development in floodways is strictly regulated or prohibited because any obstruction could increase flood heights on other properties. Buildings in floodways face the highest flood insurance rates and may be difficult or impossible to insure. Floodway boundaries are determined through detailed hydraulic modeling.