With unpredictable weather patterns becoming the new normal, it may be time to take a fresh look at the flood risk for your home or business.   At THI we often work with clients who have concerns about potential flood risks.  Streams, rivers and wetlands do flood, and it’s much more cost-effective to take time to understand and mitigate flood risks prior to a flood emergency, than to have to make those decisions under immense time pressure.

Your local emergency management office will have detailed records on severe weather and flood activity for your area. FloodSmart.gov, the official site of the National Flood Insurance Program is a good place to start.  Historical data on flood levels are helpful, since past events usually fall into patterns, and past flood levels will give an indication of what kind of water levels could be possible.  However, the last decade has seen extreme flooding and extreme droughts in unusual patterns, so it’s important to re-evaluate your flood risks based on these conditions.

If your home or other structure located in or near a floodplain, it’s important to take steps to mitigate flood risks now.  We always recommend to our clients to site buildings and other infrastructure well beyond the designated 100-year floodplain. For more information read: For Builders, Architects, and Homeowners – Building Near a River or Stream?