A community outreach meeting to learn more about changes to flood hazard maps, necessary to calculate flood insurance requirements, will be held on April 19 at the Wareham Town Hall Auditorium, 54 Marion Road from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

As part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s nationwide program to modernize Flood Insurance Rate Maps, communities throughout Plymouth County are receiving updated flood hazard maps which are scheduled to become effective on July 17.

Flood hazard maps, also known as Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs), indicate whether properties are in areas of high, moderate or low flood risk.

In reviewing the new Plymouth County maps, many property owners may find that their risk is higher or lower than they thought.  If the risk level for a property changes, so may the requirement to carry flood insurance.

Those who have a federally backed mortgage, or plan to refinance with a federally backed lender, will be required to purchase flood insurance if they find that their home is shown in a high-risk flood area known as a Special Flood Hazard Area on the updated maps.

Purchasing flood insurance before the flood maps become effective will lock in the lower-risk zone and could lead to significant savings.

Residents are urged to contact their insurance agent or visit www.floodsmart.gov to learn more about how and where to get a policy.

Residents should look at the new preliminary flood maps to become familiar with the flood risks in their community and to see whether their flood zone has changed.

The maps can be viewed at each community’s municipal office.  Each community received both a paper copy and a digital copy of the new maps to share with their residents for review before they become finalized.

The meeting will allow residents to view the new maps, understand how their properties may be affected and learn more about financial steps that they may need to take to protect their investment.

Staff from FEMA and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation will be available to discuss the maps and will be available to answer questions.

Communities affected are:  Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

Additional open house meetings within Plymouth County will be scheduled.