Preparing for and Coping with Spring Flooding

Whether you're a homeowner, farmer, business, dam owner, or local government official, here is information you need to minimize the impact of flooding on your health, safety and property.

Flood Consequences

Don't let flooding catch you unprepared. In addition to damaging property and threatening health, flooding can:

• Contaminate your private well and drinking water
• Create potential public safety hazards downstream if dams fail or suffer damage
• Wash out driveway and road culverts, leading to more erosion and runoff problems if not replaced properly
• Cause manure spread on fields to run off the land and into streams, creating water quality problems and potentially killing fish

What You Can Do

Knowing current flood conditions is valuable information to help you know when to take action. Be prepared if the National Weather Service [exit DNR] forecasts flooding in your area. The Wisconsin Emergency Management [exit DNR] also provides general tips for what to do before, during and after a flood to keep your family, your property and your community safe.

Here are a few things you can do to protect your health and safety and your property during and after flooding.

Assure the Safety of Your Drinking Water

Protect your Property in the Floodplain

Find out if your home or business is located in an area at risk for flooding. Contacting your county zoning administrator [exit DNR] or your city/village zoning or building official [exit DNR] is the easiest route. Or go online to find the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) [exit DNR] which depicts areas determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be at risk of flooding. Also see DNR maps Floodplain and Dam Safety Program Interactive Maps

Here are some quick and relatively inexpensive things you can do to protect your home or business from flooding:

• Elevate the furnace, water heater, electric panel, air conditioner and other utilities if susceptible to flooding.
• Install "check valves" in sewer traps to prevent flood water from backing up into the drains of your home.
• Construct interior barriers to stop low level floodwater from entering portions of a basement or building.
• Seal walls in basements with waterproofing compounds to avoid seepage.
• Remove inventory or important papers and possessions from the basement.
• Back up important computer files and store in a secure off site location.

For a free copy of the brochure "Living in the Floodplain: What You Need to Know - Who You Need to Know," please call (608) 267-7694 and ask for publication DNR Pub-WT-851-2006.

Assure Safe Dams and Get Emergency Plans Ready

DNR dam safety staff work year-round with dam owners to inspect dams and assure they have the proper emergency action plans in place. Dam owners are reminded that with warmer temperatures on the way, it's time to get their dam ready for spring runoff and the potential for flooding.

These are the things that dam owners should do to prepare for the possibility of flooding:

• Locate and review your Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for the dam.
• Create your Emergency Action Plan if you don't have a formal one now.
• Have emergency contact phone numbers handy for law enforcement, local emergency government, the Statewide Warning Center (800-943-0003), dam operators and their backup and the DNR dam safety engineer for your county. See Water Management Engineering Staff and Contacts
• Coordinate dam operation with upstream and downstream dam owners.
• Confirm there is a contingency plan (back operations and emergency operations) procedures in place. This should include contacting local resources like contractor, utilities, etc. Monitor ice flow and water levels early. Operate the dam in a timely manner to reduce risk gate failure and/or damage.
• Refer to dam safety and floodplain zoning maps for an estimate of lands that might be flood if you don't have a dam failure analysis map.

When it Floods

DNR dam engineers in the field and at the State Emergency Operations Center coordinate efforts to evaluate and stabilize dams stressed by the high water and debris. Additional crews do quick assessments of dams in areas affected by flooding.

• Look for daily dam updates in emergency management situation reports [exit DNR]
• Report dam failures and other emergencies

Correctly Replace Culverts

Contact DNR for immediate advice on flooding-related culvert/bridge work to assure the work is done correctly to avoid washing out and more flooding problems, and to meet potential requirements for qualifying for federal disaster aid. Read more:

Waterway Permits In Declared Disaster Areas PUB-FH-057 [PDF 69.8KB]

Manage Livestock Manure to Avoid Runoff into Streams

Flooding can increase the risk that manure will run off into streams and rivers, causing pollution and potentially fish kills, and costing the farmer a valuable free fertilizer. Rather than spreading on already water-logged fields or running the risk of getting their equipment stuck or damaging the soil structure, farmers who find their manure storage is full or nearly full during times of flooding are encouraged to contact their local conservation department to learn about alternative storage sites or options for safely spreading the manure. Largescale livestock farms with DNR permits can contact their DNR regional contact.

• DNR Regional Contacts for WPDES Permitted Operations
• County Land Conservation Departments [exit DNR]

Keep Up on Recreational Safety Issues, Trail, Park conditions

Flood damage and high water levels may affect recreational opportunities in some parts of the state. Call ahead to local law enforcement officials to see if the lake or river where you want to boat has slow no wake or other restrictions imposed because of high water.

• Be Aware of the Dangers of Paddling in High Water

Check to see if Wisconsin State Park, forest and trail facilities are damaged by flooding. For the latest available updates, see State Parks Current Conditions.