El Paso County’s primary flood risk areas run along two major drainages: Monument Creek through central Colorado Springs, and Fountain Creek through the southern communities of Fountain and Security-Widefield. Properties in or near these flood zones may need an elevation certificate for flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program. In 2026, elevation certificates in El Paso County run $450 to $750 for urban properties.
Flood Zones in El Paso County
Monument Creek runs through downtown Colorado Springs and north Colorado Springs, passing near the Colorado Springs City Auditorium, Acacia Park, and several established Colorado Springs neighborhoods. The Monument Creek floodplain has FEMA Zone AE designations affecting properties within the 100-year flood zone.
Fountain Creek is a more serious flood risk. Running through Fountain and Security-Widefield in the county’s south, Fountain Creek carries significant flow from the Pikes Peak region. The 2013 Fountain Creek flood was one of the most destructive in southern El Paso County’s history, damaging structures and infrastructure throughout Fountain and Security-Widefield. FEMA flood maps for this area were updated following the 2013 event, and properties near Fountain Creek are frequently flagged for flood insurance requirements.
Jimmy Camp Creek, a Fountain Creek tributary, also has mapped flood zones through portions of Security-Widefield. Smaller drainages in the Black Forest area can create localized flood risk during summer thunderstorms.
What the Elevation Certificate Documents
A licensed Professional Land Surveyor visits the property and measures the elevation of the lowest floor of the structure, referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). The measurement is compared to the Base Flood Elevation on the current FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. The completed FEMA Form 086-0-33 documents your structure’s elevation relative to the flood risk baseline.
For properties below or at the BFE, an elevation certificate is required for NFIP flood insurance and may be required as a condition of a building permit. For properties above the BFE, the certificate can support a Letter of Map Amendment application to formally remove the property from the flood zone designation.
Cost and Timing
Urban El Paso County properties near Monument Creek or in Fountain run $450 to $750. Foothills properties in Manitou Springs or above the Ute Pass run $500 to $850 due to terrain access. Field visits take 1 to 2 hours; completed certificates are typically delivered in 1 to 2 weeks.
To find an elevation certificate surveyor in El Paso County, browse our directory. Every surveyor listed is sourced from Colorado state licensing records. Only a licensed Colorado PLS can complete a FEMA-accepted elevation certificate.