Elevation Certificates in Lackawanna County, PA
Lackawanna County sits in the Pocono foothills of northeastern Pennsylvania, anchored by Scranton, the county seat. The Lackawanna River flows through the heart of Scranton before continuing downstream, and its flood history shapes property ownership across the county. If you own property near the river or its tributaries, there is a real chance you are in or near a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, and an elevation certificate may be required for your flood insurance policy or your mortgage.
The Lackawanna River and Its Flood Zones
The Lackawanna River runs through some of Scranton's most established neighborhoods. Low-lying areas near the river carry FEMA Zone AE designations, which indicates a one-percent annual chance of flooding, commonly called the 100-year flood. That label does not mean a flood happens once per century. It means the probability is one percent every single year. For property owners in these zones, federal law requires flood insurance if there is a federally backed mortgage on the property.
Two significant tributaries add complexity to Lackawanna County's flood map. Spring Brook flows into the Lackawanna River from the east, passing through communities east of Scranton. Roaring Brook runs through parts of Dunmore before joining the Lackawanna, and its valley creates flood zones that affect residential neighborhoods in Dunmore and the eastern suburbs. Even properties not directly on the river may fall within a mapped floodplain because of these tributary systems.
Lackawanna County has experienced several notable flooding events. Spring and summer storms, combined with the region's topography, can cause rapid water rises in low-lying corridors. Properties that appear safe based on casual observation may still carry Zone AE or Zone X designations based on detailed FEMA modeling.
What the Certificate Documents
An elevation certificate records several key measurements: the elevation of the lowest floor of your structure, the elevation of any attached garage, the elevation of machinery and equipment serving the building (like HVAC units), and the Base Flood Elevation at your specific location. The certificate uses FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152 and must be completed by a licensed professional.
In Scranton's older residential districts, many homes have basements or ground-level garages that sit close to or below street grade. These features are relevant to how the certificate is filled out and how your insurer calculates risk. A surveyor working in this area needs to understand both the physical terrain and how FEMA's elevation references apply to older construction.
Finding a Licensed Surveyor in Lackawanna County
Pennsylvania requires land surveyors to hold a license issued by the State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists, commonly called PELSB. You can search active licenses at pals.pa.gov to confirm that any surveyor you contact is current. The Pennsylvania Council of Land Surveyors at pcls.net is another resource for finding member firms with experience in northeastern Pennsylvania.
When contacting surveyors, ask whether they have completed elevation certificates in Lackawanna County specifically. Familiarity with local flood maps, the Lackawanna River corridor, and the tributary systems around Dunmore and the eastern suburbs matters. A surveyor who works regularly in the region will have the local benchmark data and experience to complete the certificate accurately and efficiently.
You can also view flood maps for your address using the Lackawanna County surveyor directory and cross-reference your zone using the FEMA Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov.
Using the Certificate for Insurance
Once you have the completed certificate, submit it to your flood insurance provider. If you are insured through the National Flood Insurance Program, your agent uses the elevation data to calculate your actuarial premium. If your lowest floor is above the BFE, you may qualify for significant premium reductions. If it is below, the certificate still helps because it documents the exact conditions and prevents your insurer from overestimating your risk.
Some property owners in Lackawanna County have found that their existing flood insurance premiums were based on assumptions that an elevation certificate corrected. Getting the certificate is worth the upfront cost if it produces multi-year savings on your insurance bill.
Letter of Map Amendment Option
If your elevation certificate shows your property sits above the BFE and you believe your property has been incorrectly included in a flood zone, you may be eligible to apply for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) from FEMA. A successful LOMA can remove your property from the Special Flood Hazard Area, potentially eliminating the mandatory purchase requirement. Your surveyor can advise whether a LOMA application makes sense based on your certificate results.
Next Steps
Start by looking up your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center to identify your current flood zone. If you are in Zone AE or another Special Flood Hazard Area, contact a licensed Lackawanna County land surveyor to schedule an elevation certificate. Verify the surveyor's license at pals.pa.gov before signing a contract. Once you have the certificate in hand, bring it to your insurance agent to review your current premium and explore whether a LOMA application is appropriate.