On Tuesday, Pearl River County’s new flood maps went into effect, which continues homeowner’s eligibility under the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps, drawn up county wide, have made only minor changes to where flood plains extend.

Pearl River County Planning and Development Director Ed Pinero said the new maps will place a small percentage of county residents who were not in a flood plain into one. However, there also are a small number of homes that were previously designated as being in a flood plain that, with the new maps, no longer will be considered to be in a flood plain.

Residents can view the maps at the E-911 office or the county permitting office to determine if their homes have been part of the changes, Pinero said.

In the study, it states that areas in and around places such as Alligator Branch have a one percent chance of flooding every 50 years, while the City of Poplarville has no flood prone areas. Pinero said the study did not include the recently annexed areas of that city.

Maintaining compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program ensures that county residents will be able to obtain flood insurance, Pinero said.

The last time new maps were added to the program was in May of 1990, the study states.