GRANT TOWNSHIP, MICH. — Widespread flooding in northern Michigan during the spring of 2026 revealed gaps in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) floodplain mapping, particularly in rural areas. Record April rains in 2026 fell on top of record March snowfall in Michigan, contributing to the conditions.

Dozens of counties in Michigan were under a state of emergency during the 2026 floods. Matthew Occhipinti, the state's National Flood Insurance Program coordinator, said the spring 2026 flood in Michigan exceeded what is known as a 100-year flood in many areas. At Black Lake, floating ice broke apart decks and crashed through windows, and knee-high floodwater forced residents to remove flooring, drywall, furniture, bedding, and appliances. Tom and Diane Peterman were told flood insurance was not available when they moved to their home on Black Lake, and John Solum was told he was not in a flood zone when his family bought a cabin on Black Lake.

FEMA develops and updates maps that determine who is in a floodplain. However, FEMA has not developed flood maps in many less-populated areas, including some Michigan counties that experienced flooding in 2026. For example, most areas in Presque Isle County have never been mapped by FEMA, though Cheboygan County has a 2012 map. FEMA maps are based on risks of rivers, streams, and other waterways overflowing their banks and do not account for flooding caused strictly from heavy rainfall that overwhelms stormwater infrastructure.

The General Accounting Office (GAO) raised concerns five years ago that FEMA's flood hazard maps did not reflect the best available climate science or heavy rainfall. Jeremy Porter, chief economist at First Street, a company that researches the financial implications of climate change, said federal maps are "missing a whole source of flooding." Porter added, "I couldn't believe it when we first started building our model how different we were from FEMA." First Street found more than twice the number of properties at flood risk nationwide after incorporating rainfall data into its models and four times more properties at flood risk in Michigan than FEMA maps indicate.

FEMA stated in 2026 that 95% of the U.S. population lives in areas with flood maps, describing its flood maps as "snapshots in time." Despite a 2012 congressional mandate, FEMA has made little progress creating new floodplain maps in rural areas. The Association of State Floodplain Managers estimates fully mapping the country would cost $4 billion to $12 billion. According to a GAO report, FEMA lost close to 20% of its total workforce in 2025. Christopher Currie, a GAO auditor, said these losses included about 25% of its permanent and most senior staff. Currie stated, "We're very concerned."