The recent rainstorms have taken their toll on the entire Bay Area. Cities such as Guerneville, Rohnert Park, and Healdsburg were hit hard by this last storm causing millions of dollars in damages and the clean-up process has begun.
Flooding is an issue that starts small and rapidly grows exponentially until there is nothing that can be done except get out of the way and wait for the water to subside. Before a rain storm that could potentially lead to flooding, there are some relativity simply steps that can be taken on an individual level to help reduce the risk of flood damage.
When assessing your own property, a simple survey of the land can help you identify if the property slopes in any particular direction. look for low spots in your land that could fill up with flood water and make sure to remove anything of value from the area that you don’t want under water to higher ground. Digging troughs or trenches can divert water to the proper areas which won’t backup and produce flooding. If your house is in a flood zone, make sure to have plenty of sandbags on hand and build walls in front of doors, windows and any other vulnerable spots around the foundation to prevent water from creeping in.
Assessing your own property is the first step, but it doesn’t stop there. Looking beyond your property at neighboring properties and or city drainage systems can benefit everyone. Talk to your neighbors to make sure they are prepared and are not inadvertently diverting water away from their property onto yours. One of the most common ways flooding occurs is when city storm drains get clogged with debris and prevent water from flowing down the drain. This can easily be avoided by taking a rake to the storm drains located near your property to remove loose debris. During a heavy rain storm, it’s important to check storm drains regularly because water can carry debris easily to a clean storm drain.
Although water is unpredictable, practicing these few easy steps can help prevent floods from happening. Please look to US Hydrotech for storm drain products to help prevent drains from clogging or letting contaminants enter our waterways.