Savannah City Council Adopts Floodplain Management Plans, Helping Residents Save on Flood Insurance
Wednesday, November 4th, 2026
The Savannah City Council recently adopted a series of floodplain management, natural resource protection, and public information plans to help the City reduce flood risks and maintain flood insurance savings for residents and businesses.
During its October 22, regular meeting, City Council adopted the City of Savannah’s 2026 Floodplain Management Plan, Repetitive Loss Area Analysis, Floodplain Species Assessment and Plan, and Program for Public Information. The plans support Savannah’s participation in Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS). CRS is a voluntary program which recognizes communities actively working to reduce flood risks and improve floodplain management. Additionally, the City earns credit for such qualifying activities, which contributes to discounts on flood insurance premiums for property owners with policies through the NFIP.
Savannah, Georgia, has a Class 5 rating, the best CRS standing in the state. A rating of 5 indicates residents with NFIP insurance policies save 25% on their premiums.
“Savannah’s Class 5 rating being the best in Georgia, and being one of eight communities statewide to achieve a 5, is not just for bragging rights,” said Mayor Van R. Johnson, II. “Flooding remains a serious issue for many low-lying, coastal communities, including Savannah. These plans help guide our proactive efforts to reduce risk, protect our natural resources and keep residents informed, making this work important for the long-term resilience of our community.”
“Our floodplain management plan helps to ensure Savannah is more resilient to stormwater and floods,” said City Manager Jay Melder. “It also creates real savings for residents on their flood insurance. With affordability at the top of everyone’s mind, this program helps keep costs low.”
Currently, there are 3,929 active NFIP flood insurance policies held by Savannahians, which generated a combined $631,624 in flood insurance premium savings in 2025. Residents and businesses may learn more about the Community Rating System (CRS), floodplain management and related information at www.savannahga.gov/crs.
