Flood Prevention measures can reduce the frequency and magnitude of flooding significantly. We know that flooding arises due to a multitude of factors and consequently will need to be addressed at various spatial levels and sectors. Although it may be impossible to prevent flooding completely, the below measures can significantly slow flooding and buy us valuable time to protect our loved ones and physical assets.
Here are some very simple tips for individual household level flood prevention:
- Inspecting homes and nearby areas for any vulnerabilities to flooding, addressing these vulnerabilities and if necessary, reporting it to the relevant agencies.
- Reducing the amount of waste generated, disposing of waste in a responsible manner and assisting where you can in ensuring drains are clear and free from blockage
- Reinforcing your home with Flood Resistance measures such as sealing gaps and holes, reinforcing external walls, raising structures where possible, installing flood barriers on doors and windows, clearing ditches, planting trees, and waterproofing doors. Purchase and use adequately temporary resistance measures such as flood sandbags.
- Remember that flood resistance measures (such as these) must be paired with resilience measures to make flood recovery much easier and less stressful. These include placing valuables and appliances in high out-of-flood areas, building with impervious/flood resistant materials, raising electrical plug sockets, using tiled floors instead of rugs, and choosing other furniture that are water resistant. Install flood alarms, plant green roofs and pave with permeable material to reduce runoff.
Flooding can be prevented at other levels, notably community and larger/business building levels. For more information on flood prevention and specifics in flood resilience and resistance, visit the below links graciously shared by Northamptonshire County Council: