Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) represent areas subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance floods. Structures located within SFHAs have a 26 percent chance of flooding during the life of a standard 30-year mortgage. Federal floodplain management regulations and mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements apply in these zones.
| Zone | Description |
| A | Areas subject to inundation by a 1-percent-annual-chance flood event. Because detailed hydraulic analyses have not been performed, no Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) or flood depths are shown. |
| AE, A1-A30 | Areas subject to inundation by a 1-percent-annual-chance flood event, as determined by detailed methods. BFEs are shown within these zones. (Zone AE is used on new and revised maps in place of Zones A1-A30.) |
| AH | Areas subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding (usually areas of ponding), where depths average 1-3 feet. BFEs derived from detailed hydraulic analyses are shown in these zones. |
| AO | Areas subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding (usually sheet flow on sloping terrain), where depths average 1-3 feet. Average flood depths derived from detailed hydraulic analyses are shown within these zones. |
| AR | Area containing a decertified, previously accredited flood control system that is in the process of being restored to provide base flood protection. |
| A99 | Areas subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance flood events, which will ultimately be protected by an under-construction federal flood protection system. These are areas of special flood hazard where enough progress has been made on the construction of a protection system (dike, dam, levees, etc.) to consider it complete for insurance rating purposes. Zone A99 may be used only when the flood protection system has reached specified statutory progress toward completion. No BFEs or flood depths are shown. |
| *Source: Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission | |