Preparation key in flood-prone areas
Q: I recently bought a home near a river that sometimes overruns its banks in springtime. While the builder assured me that the house is located beyond the 100-year flood mark, I still worry about floodwaters reaching my property. Is there any way to prevent this, or to minimize damage? — Sally in Georgia
A: Preventing floodwaters from reaching your home can be a hit-and-miss proposition. There’s only so much that can affordably be done by individual homeowners to control the amount of water that reaches their property in a natural event like a spring flood. Beyond that, the city, county or state may be the only ones capable of diverting the water.
Long-term prevention measures may give you some peace of mind. First, make sure your property already has good drainage — that water from sprinklers or rain filters through the soil or drains away quickly. Test this simply by walking out on the lawn the day after a rainstorm; if the ground feels spongy or water wells up around your feet, then you may have a problem. A soggy lawn can cause a host of other problems, so contact a landscaping professional, who can recommend ways to improve drainage.
If the river should threaten your property, short-term emergency measures can be taken to keep the water out of your house, such as stacking sandbags at the perimeter. The local government may also attempt to divert the water by moving large amounts of earth into the water’s path or digging shallow channels. How well these methods work depend on the river’s whims — sometimes the water will push all manmade efforts aside.
If this happens, have a disaster plan in place and ready to implement. Your home’s insurance policy should be reviewed now to make sure full flood coverage is included. Develop an evacuation plan for your family so that you can exit the house quickly and safely should the need arise. Store nonperishable food and water on an upper floor, where it can be accessed after the floodwaters recede.
If flooding becomes a possibility, move any irreplaceable valuables (heirlooms, photographs, etc.) and paperwork to an upper floor or away from the property completely. Place a suitcase with a change of clothes, toiletries and important documents (like your homeowner’s policy) in the hall closet near the front door, so you can grab it and leave quickly if necessary. Contact relatives or friends ahead of time to arrange a place to stay, if possible. If a flood occurs, follow the instructions of local authorities. Evacuate if ordered, and don’t put yourself in danger.