Black Hawk County’s flood risk is defined by the Cedar River, which flows south through Cedar Falls and Waterloo before continuing out of the county. The June 2008 Iowa floods hit the Cedar River basin with record-level flows, causing catastrophic damage in Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Evansdale and triggering FEMA flood map revisions that expanded Special Flood Hazard Areas across the corridor. In 2026, elevation certificates in Black Hawk County typically cost $425 to $700.
The 2008 Floods and Their Lasting Impact
The 2008 Cedar River flood crested at record levels, inundating thousands of structures in Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Evansdale. Entire neighborhoods in Waterloo’s east side and along Evansdale’s river corridor were flooded. The University of Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls sustained significant damage from the Cedar River overflow.
In the years that followed, FEMA revised Flood Insurance Rate Maps throughout Black Hawk County. The revisions expanded Zone AE designations along the Cedar River and its tributaries, adding properties that had previously been in Zone X (minimal flood hazard) to the Special Flood Hazard Area. For homeowners and buyers, the practical effect is that more properties in Black Hawk County now require flood insurance for federally-backed mortgages, and more properties need elevation certificates.
Cedar River Flood Zones in Waterloo
In Waterloo, FEMA Zone AE designations follow the Cedar River on both its east and west banks. Lower-lying neighborhoods on Waterloo’s east side, near the Cedar River, have the highest flood zone concentration. Dry Run Creek and Spring Creek, both Cedar River tributaries that flow through residential areas on Waterloo’s west side, also carry FEMA flood zone designations along their corridors. Properties near these creeks may be in designated flood zones even if they are several miles from the Cedar River itself.
Cedar Falls Flood Zone Areas
Cedar Falls neighborhoods closest to the Cedar River, including areas near Island Park and the river valley south of University Avenue, have Zone AE coverage. The University of Northern Iowa campus sits above the river on higher ground, but the lower residential areas toward the river are in flood zones. Cedar Falls updated its floodplain management ordinances following 2008 and has acquired and demolished some of the most flood-prone properties near the Cedar River.
Evansdale: The Highest Risk Community
Evansdale, north of Waterloo, is the Black Hawk County community with the most concentrated flood zone coverage relative to its size. The Cedar River runs along Evansdale’s western edge, and the city’s residential areas closest to the river are in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas. Properties near the river in Evansdale are among the most frequently subject to mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements in northeastern Iowa.
What the Certificate Documents
A licensed Iowa Professional Land Surveyor visits the property and measures the lowest floor elevation using NAVD 88 datum. That elevation is compared to the Base Flood Elevation from the current FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. The results are recorded on FEMA Form 086-0-33. Your NFIP insurer uses the certificate to set your flood insurance premium. Homes with finished floors above the BFE pay lower premiums; homes at or below it pay more. Only a licensed Iowa PLS can complete a valid elevation certificate under Iowa Code Chapter 542B.
To find an elevation certificate surveyor in Black Hawk County, browse our directory. Every surveyor listed is sourced from Iowa state licensing records.