The Heights in Seminole Heights

With all the flooding in New Orleans and talk of 20+ foot flooding if a hurricane hit here, I wondered how high I was off the sea level. I went to mapwise.com and looked at their Florida Maps Online. This map below is what resulted. The map shows elevation contour lines and elevation feet. I live in the 50 foot elevation area. A lot of Seminole Heights is between 25 to 60 feet high, with most in 40-50 feet range. So for most of us, if a massive flood surge comes in we will not be flooded out. Except those of course on the river. The colors on the map represent various evacuation zones. As I drove in the neighborhood, I was struck by how quickly the land rose from the river, thus minimizing flood issues for many homes. Although still a significant amount of homes along the river are at risk of flooding.

(click on the map to enlarge it)

The other day as I drove home from work on easily flooded Davis Islands, I closely paid attention to the elevation. On Florida Ave from I-275 to Palm Avenue to road rises steeply (as far as steeply goes in Florida geography) bringing me in to Tampa Heights and then basically plateauing into Seminole Heights. Aaah, yes, there is a reason we are called Seminole Heights. I never fully thought about it, except perhaps when I was coming south on Florida Ave at Waters Ave and at that peak there I see the downtown towers as Florida Avenue slopes down away.

So what does my maps say about south Tampa? All of it is in flood zone. Aaaall of it. Meaning an elevation less than 20-25 feet. How many thousands of homes that must be. I've looked at the hurricane evacuation maps before and so I knew South Tampa was an evacuation area and I knew my home was not in a flood zone, but Katrina puts all of it in a new more real context.