MVCA Floodplain for Urban and Rural areas. Floodway, Floodfringe and Floodplain identified separately.

Flooding hazards:

means the inundation, under the conditions specified below, of areas adjacent to a shoreline or a river or stream system and not ordinarily covered by water:

a. Along the shorelines of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River System and large inland lakes, the flooding hazard limit is based on the 100 year flood level plus an allowance for wave uprush and other water related hazards.

b. Along river and stream systems, the flooding hazard limit is the greater of:

1. the flood resulting from the rainfall actually experienced during a major storm such as the Hurricane Hazel storm (1954) or the Timmins Storm (1961), transposed over a specific watershed and combined with the local conditions, where evidence suggests that the storm event could have potentially occurred over watersheds in the general area;

2. the one hundred year flood; or

3. a flood which is greater than 1) or 2) which was actually experienced in a particular watershed or portion thereof as a result of ice jams and which has been approved as the standard for that specific area by the Minister of Natural Resources.

except where the use of the one hundred year flood or actually experienced event as the standard for a specific watershed has been approved by the Minister of Natural Resources (where the past history of flooding supports the lowering of the standard)(MMAH, 2005).

Floodplain(for river and stream systems): the area, usually low lands adjoining a watercourse, which has been or may be subject to flood hazards (MMAH, 2005).

Floodway (for river and stream systems): means the portion of the flood plain where development (other than uses which by their nature must be located within the floodway, flood and/or erosion control works, or where appropriate, minor additions or passive, non- structural uses which do not affect flood flows) and site alteration would cause a danger to public health and safety or property damage (MMAH, 2005).

Flood fringe (for river and stream systems): means the outer portion of the flood plain between the floodway and the flooding hazard limit. Depths and velocities of flooding are generally less severe in the flood fringe than those experienced in the floodway. The flood fringe is the area where development and site alteration may be permitted, subject to appropriate floodproofing to the flooding hazard elevation or another flooding hazard standard approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MMAH, 2005).