Flood Information

Resources and Information

1. US Geological Survey River Data

2. Flood Insurance

   FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program has information on flood insurance.  Flood insurance can be purchased through your homeowner's insurance company or renter's insurance company.  It typically takes 30 days to take effect, so plan ahead so you're covered when you need it.

   FEMA publishes flood plain information via the National Flood Hazard Layer (NHFL). To find out more, please visit the NHFL web mapping application.

   To learn more about the NHFL and other FEMA flood information, visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

   To be eligible for federal assistance under the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the President of the United States needs to declare the area a Federal Disaster Area. Things to be of:

   • Less than half of all flooding incidents result in a Presidential declared disaster.
   • Persons in a Federal Disaster Area are eligible for low-cost loans (not grants).
   • Annual flood insurance premiums are less than the interest on a Federal disaster loan.

   FloodSmart.gov helps you learn about flood risk and taking steps to financially protect homes and businesses from flood damage.

   Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief for Individuals and Businesses. This resource from the IRS provides information about getting financial help if you have damaged or lost property in a designated Federal disaster area.

   Minnesota DNR information on flood plains

   Disclaimer: The information on this page is merely a summary of flood insurance information. For more information, contact your insurance agent.

3. Why do vehicles float?

   Why do vehicles float? They float for the same reason a 97,000 ton aircraft carrier floats, buoyancy!

   Where does this idea that "my heavy vehicle will keep me safe" come from? It comes from the false trust in the weight of the vehicle you are driving.

   Many believe their 3,000 pound or more vehicle will remain in contact with the road surface, that it is too heavy to float. Think about that for a moment. Aircraft carriers weighing 97,000 tons float.

   Vehicles, including ships, float because of buoyancy. In fact, most cars can be swept away in 18-24 inches of moving water. Trucks and SUVs do not fare much better with an additional 6-12 inches of clearance.

   

4. Video of a Real Swift Water Rescue

5. Flood Waters During and After a Disaster (ASL Video)

6. Debunking Flood Insurance Myths (ASL Video)

7. Preparedness and Recovery Information

   Ready.gov Flood information

   Flood preparation information (CDC)

   Information for recovery after the flood (CDC)

   MN Department of Health Flood Information

   MDH urges private well owners in areas at risk of floods to take action to avoid contamination

   As communities around the state prepare for spring flooding, Minnesota health officials are reminding private well owners and users of the importance of taking preventive action to reduce the possibility of their drinking water becoming contaminated by floodwaters.

   Wells contaminated with floodwater pose a health risk, but the impact floodwaters have on wells and water quality are often not as visible as other flood damage. With that in mind, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) offers well users the following recommendations:

   If your well is in a flood-prone area and you have time, consider contacting a licensed well contractor to check your well and make any necessary repairs or changes to help protect it from flooding. These changes may include repairing cracked or damaged casing, extending the well casing above the expected flood level or temporarily replacing the vented well cap with a watertight cap or cover. You should also make sure that grading allows water to flow away from your well.

   If you think your well might become flooded, store a supply of clean water that will last for at least a few days. Shut off power to the well pump to avoid having floodwater pumped into your plumbing system or home. If you only have a little time before a flood, you can cover the well with a heavy plastic bag or sheeting and secure it with electrical tape. This won’t completely protect your well from contamination, but it will help reduce the amount of water and debris that could enter your well, making clean up easier.

   If floodwater reached your well, assume your well is contaminated. Water from your well should not be used for drinking, cooking or brushing your teeth until the floodwater recedes and the following steps have been completed:

   • Avoid electrical shock. Do not approach a flooded well until it has been completely disconnected from its power source.
   • If floodwater covered your well or may have entered your well directly, have a licensed well contractor inspect the well, clean out sediment or debris and disinfect it. Using your well pump to remove sediment or debris could ruin the pump. A directory of licensed well contractors is available at: Licensed Well and Boring Contractor Directory.
   • If floodwater reached your well but you are confident that floodwater did not enter the well, have a licensed well contractor disinfect your well or complete the disinfection yourself. Detailed instructions are available at Disinfecting Flooded Private Water Wells. 
   • After you or the licensed well contractor disinfects your well and pumps out the chlorine solution, contact your county health department or laboratory accredited by MDH to get your well tested. Tell them you need to have your well water tested for coliform bacteria. They will provide sampling instructions. Accredited Labs in Minnesota Accepting Samples from Private Well Owners (PDF).    
     • If your well water test comes back positive for coliform bacteria, repeat the disinfection and testing process. You may need to disinfect and test your well several times before your well is free of bacterial contamination.
     • Do not use the water from your well until the lab has informed you that it is safe and free of bacterial contamination.

   If floodwater came within 50 feet of your well – but did not reach the well – MDH recommends that you have your well water tested for coliform bacteria as a precaution. You do not need to disinfect your well before having it tested. However, if the test comes back positive for bacteria, the well needs to be disinfected.

   For well owners who need more information, please contact the Well Management Section at MDH at health.wells@state.mn.us or 651-201-4600 or 800-383-9808 or visit the Floods and Flood Precautions For Private Water Wells pages on the MDH website.

8. Sandbagging Information

   Sandbagging 101 info sheet and how to design a sandbag levee from the US Army Corps of Engineers

   North Dakota State University has information online about how to build a sandbag dike, along with the proper design, location and how many sandbags you might need.

9. National Water Center Products and Services

   National Water Center Products and Services Website

   • National Water Prediction Services
   • Flood Inundation Mapping - Experimental services depicting the extent of predicted inundation, as derived from River Forecast Center forecasts and National Water Model analyses and forecasts
   • Area Hydrologic Discussion
   • Flood Hazard Outlook
   • National Hydrologic Discussion
   • Significant River Flood Outlook
   • NWC Visualization Services - Experimental geospatial services depicting forecasts from the River Forecast Centers and the National Water Model.