Climate change is upon us. As any hydraulic engineer will tell you, we can now expect the rains to be intense, followed by long periods of dryness. Thus, the once-in-100+-year storms that we have seen are becoming the norm. Flooding is the most common and costly disaster in the United States and can happen anywhere.
What is a 25-year storm vs. a 100-year storm? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines a range of storm values based on how much rain falls in a given period of time. A “25-year storm” is supposed to nominally happen once every 25 years. However just last year, two 100-year storms occurred in August alone. Hurricane Ida was a 200- to 500-year storm because the total rainfall within a 1-hour period of time was 3.42 inches which fell between the definitions of a 200-year storm (3.14 inches/1 hour) and a 500-year storm (3.53 inches/1 hour).
NOAA Point Precipitation Frequency Atlas: PF Map: Contiguous US
The responsibility to homeowners is to maintain stormwater systems to handle regular storms. The stormwater management system is a maze of stormwater drains, underground culverts and catch basins. The Department of Public Works clears out catch basins and stormwater drains on a disciplined periodic schedule with additional maintenance before an expected heavy storm to ensure unobstructed flows of stormwater.
Proactive efforts are being made to mitigate stormwater through a variety of means. Engineering and hydraulic studies are being conducted to identify the best solutions moving forward including massive pumps that drive water from low-points at 1500 gallons per minute as well as longer-term capital investments in stormwater retention basins designed to hold back stormwater until it can be absorbed into the system.
But this is only a part of it – property owners should do what they can to protect themselves from damage.
As per our insurance carrier, one often easy way to protect your property is to make sure that the landscape grade, including downspouts, walkways and driveways sends water away from your building rather than allowing water to enter.
FEMA advises 3 key steps that homeowners should take:
Know Your Risk. Check out FEMA’s online Flood Map Service at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home. Enter your address and it will show you details about your property’s level of flood risk.
Insure Your Property. Purchasing a flood insurance policy is highly recommended as most homeowners’ insurance does not cover flood damages. Homes within FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) are eligible for federal flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program. www.fema.gov/nfipinsurancecompanies
Reduce Your Risk. Learn about how to prepare and protect your family, home and belongings at www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
FEMA has two excellent guides for property owners:
FEMA Protect Your Home From Flooding - https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_protect-your-home-from-flooding-brochure_2020.pdf
FEMA Protect Your Property From Flooding - https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/fema_protect-your-home_flooding.pdf
Both guides give tips including:
- Determining the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) for your home.
- Elevating valuables and utilities above the BFE, leaving spaces under the BFE for storage, parking and access to the home.
- How to flood-proof both the inside and outside of your home.
Disaster Assistance
If your home has suffered from repeated flood damage, there are programs to consider. Homeowners have nothing to lose by applying and are under no obligation to accept.
NJ Mitigation Assistance Program (MAP). Through MAP, homeowners who are in flood-prone areas may apply to elevate their home.
New Jersey Department of Community Affairs | Mitigation Assistance Programs.
Blue Acres Program. Blue Acres will relocate New Jersey families whose homes are subject to repeated flooding and will acquire the property at market rate for use as natural flood storage, parks, and community open space.
https://dep.nj.gov/blueacres/
BE FLOOD RESILIENT! We’re in this together.