Flood Hazards and Tips

Know Your Flood Hazards

Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters. Conditions that cause floods include heavy rain for several hours or days that saturate the ground. Flash floods occur suddenly due to rapidly rising water along a stream or low-lying area.

Most stream flooding areas have been mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); however, not all flood-prone areas, areas with poor drainage, or localized street flooding have been mapped. Your property may never have been flooded or may be shown on the FEMA maps to be outside the mapped limits of flooding.

Most areas of the City have yet to see the record 100-year flood event, which is a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. There is no guarantee your property will never flood. Statistics show that the 1% annual chance flood has approximately a 30% chance of occurring over a 30-year mortgage period.

For those living outside the 1% annual chance floodplain, also referred to as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) on the City’s flood maps, flooding is still possible. Approximately 30% of all flood claims occur outside the SFHA in areas considered minimal to moderate flooding. This overwhelmingly indicates that everyone should have flood insurance, which is not covered under a standard homeowner’s policy.

Mapped flood-prone areas and historical flooding information is available by visiting the City’s Department of Engineering Services.

Safety Tips

Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters. Conditions that cause floods include heavy rain for several hours or days that saturate the ground. Flash floods occur suddenly due to rapidly rising water along a stream or low-lying area. 

Most stream flooding areas have been mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); however, not all flood-prone areas, areas with poor drainage, or localized street flooding have been mapped. Your property may never have been flooded or may be shown on the FEMA maps to be outside the mapped limits of flooding.

Most areas of the City have yet to see the record 100-year flood event, which is a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. There is no guarantee your property will never flood. Statistics show that the 1% annual chance flood has approximately a 30% chance of occurring over a 30-year mortgage period.

For those living outside the 1% annual chance floodplain, also referred to as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) on the City’s flood maps, flooding is still possible. Approximately 30% of all flood claims occur outside the SFHA in areas considered minimal to moderate flooding. This overwhelmingly indicates that everyone should have flood insurance, which is not covered under a standard homeowners policy.

Mapped flood-prone areas and historical flooding information is available by visiting the City’s Department of Engineering Services.

Before the Flood

1.  Check with the Department of Engineering Services at City Hall, 10 N. Robinson Street on the extent of past flooding in your area. Department staff can tell you about the causes of repetitive flooding, what the City is doing about it, and what would be an appropriate flood protection level. They can also visit your property to discuss flood protection alternatives.

2.    Prepare for flooding by doing the following:

• Know how to shut off the electricity and gas to your house when a flood comes.
• Make a list of emergency numbers and identify a safe place to go.
• Make a household inventory.
• Put insurance policies, valuable papers, medicine, etc., in a safe place.
• Develop an 72-hour emergency kit and a family disaster plan. Learn how at KnoWhat2Do.com (our regional emergency preparedness program website).
• Disaster response plan (See the Red Cross’ website for information on how to prepare a disaster plan for your family).

3.    Consider some permanent flood protection measures. 

• Mark your fuse box to show the circuits to the floodable areas. Turning off the power to these floodable areas can reduce property damage (fires) and save lives.
• Consider flood protection alternatives such as flood walls or berms.
• Note that some flood protection measures may require permits. Please check with the   Department of Engineering Services and/or the Building Inspections Department at City Hall, 10 N. Robinson Street, for more information.
• A copy of Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your House from Flooding" is available at no charge to download.

4.    Talk to the City of Cleburne Engineering Department for information on financial assistance.

• If you are interested in elevating your building above the flood level, or if you are interested in selling your house to the City, the City may be able to apply for federal grants to cover a portion of the cost.
• Get a flood insurance policy – it will help pay for repairs after a flood and, in some cases, it will help pay the costs of elevating a substantially damaged building.

5.    Get a flood insurance policy.

• Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover damage from floods. However,some owners have purchased flood insurance because it was required by the bank when they received a mortgage or home improvement loan.
• Don’t wait until the next flood to buy flood insurance protection. In most cases, there is a 30-day waiting period before the National Flood Insurance Program coverage takes effect.
• Contact your insurance agent for more information on rates and coverage.

During/After the flood:

• Always pay attention to warnings, such as signage on the roadways, radio and TV weather updates, etc.
• Subscribe to CivicPlus    to receive emergency notifications.
• Ask for a licensed electrician, plumber, etc., to check or turn on your power, water, and/or gas.
• Do not wade through flood waters due to the danger of pollutants, debris (nails, glass, etc.), and animals (snakes, ants, etc.).
• Flood waters are often murky and depth is hard to determine. Do not drive through flood waters! Turn around, don't drown!

12-inches of fast-moving water can carry away a small car!

If an emergency evacuation is necessary, please heed the warnings of the City of Cleburne Emergency Management Department and follow the instructions to evacuate. It saves lives of those around you and possibly of the emergency workers responding.