Flood Prevention

 FLOOD PREVENTION

Flooded Street - Covington May 2016

Is your property located in or near a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)? Many buildings in SFHA areas have flooded several times experiencing what is commonly referred to as Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL). St. Tammany Parish is subject to riverine flooding, ponding as a result of heavy rainfall, and flooding from tropical storm surge. The Parish is concerned about repetitive flooding, and has an active program to help you protect yourself and your structure from future flooding.

Here are some things you can do:

STAY ALERT! KNOW IF FLOODING IS POSSIBLE

KNOW YOUR FLOOD HAZARD

Flooding in the parish is from four sources:
1) Riverine when rivers or streams exceed capacity
2) Stormwater when rain overwhelms the drainage system in an area
3) Coastal Surge when tropical storm winds push Gulf of Mexico water inland
4) Backwater flooding when water can’t flow downstream

  • You can find out about your property:
    • Find your property's flood zone. Search by address or navigate the map. View Preliminary and Effective FIRMs.
      • Effective Firm: Current adopted flood maps that insurance companies use
      • Preliminary Firm: Has not been adopted and will not be used for insurance purposes. However, it may give you a better idea of your current flood risks. 

Contact the Parish Floodplain Administrator for flood zone, anticipated flood depth, flood history, or other flood related hazards, and if it is in a floodway or wetlandu can find out about your property: 

Find your property on the Critical Drainage Areas Map. Areas in the parish that are most likely to flood are shown on the map as coastal inundation areas (red stripes), areas of special concern (pink), and critical drainage areas (blue).

The Parish is working on drainage projects. Click here to view a map. can find out about your property:

Please click on the below listed LINK FOR PARISH projects in st. tammany Parish THAT MAY BE BENEFICIAL TO DRAINAGE IN YOUR AREA.

parish projects

PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE (AND PETS)… BE PREPARED FOR A FLOOD AND OTHER NATURAL HAZARDS flooding:
  • Know your property's flood hazard, see resources listed above
  • Make a plan for what your household, including your pets, will do in the event of a natural disaster, such as a flood, hurricane, or tornado
  • Stay alert to bulletins that warn of flooding
  • Learn and practice evacuation routes, shelter plans, and flash flood response
  • 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 an inventory of household contents
  • Keep inportant documents in a waterproof container
  • Gather Supplies, including medicine, non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, and water for several days, in case you must leave immediately or if services are cut off in your area

PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE... BE SAFE DURING A FLOOD


  • Turn Around, Don't Drown.
  • Drowning is the number one cause of flood deaths.  Protect yourself and your loved ones.
    • ·     Listen to authorities and move to a safe place if you are ordered to evacuate.
    • ·     Do not walk through flood water. Just six inches of moving water can knock you down. If you must walk in water, use a pole or stick to check that the ground is there.
    • ·     Do not drive through flood water. More people drown in cars than anywhere else. Don’t drive around road barriers because the road or bridge may be washed out.
    • ·     Stay far away from power lines. The number two flood killer is electrocution. Electrical current travels through water. Report downed power lines.
    • ·     Be alert for gas leaks. Don’t smoke or use open flames unless you know the gas is off and the area has been ventilated.

 PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY… BY BUILDING RESPONSIBLY


  • Drowning is the number one cause of flood deaths.  Protect yourself and your loved ones.
    • Review the resource links provided at the bottom of this page
      Review publications at the
      St. Tammany Parish Library; search the catalog by keywords such as flood, coastal, elevated, and hazard
      Contact
      Engineering for property protection advice or to request a free visit to your property to review drainage and flood problems and discuss solutions
      Implement appropriate flood protection measures, from marking the breaker box to show circuits in floodable areas to elevating or moving the building
    • Be aware all development in the floodplain requires a permit, including new construction, substantial improvement, demolition, and earthwork. Individuals who fill, excavate, or build without a permit may be subject to penalties and have to return the land to its pre-incident state at their cost.

      • - Contact Permits before your start any development

      • - Contact Code Enforcement if the see any development in the floodplain that does not have a permit.

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY… BY GETTING FLOOD INSURANCE


Standard property insurance does not cover flood damage. A separate flood policy is required for damage caused by surface water flooding and is available to property owners and renters.

  DO NOT WAIT for the next flood to get flood insurance. There is usually a 30-day waiting period before most flood policies go into effect.

·    NFIP is available in St. Tammany; learn about the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) at floodsmart.gov

·    Talk to an insurance agent; click here for a list of agents

·     In St. Tammany, flooding usually causes more damage to a structure’s contents than to the structure. Be sure you have contents coverage.

·    St. Tammany participates in FEMA’s CRS (Community Rating System) program  which earns a discount – currently 15% – on all flood insurance policies.

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY WITH GRANT ASSISSTANCE


Some flood protection measures are expensive. The Federal government, through the Parish, offers grants to mitigate flood risk to properties. This can include elevating the structure, or having the government acquire the property and either relocate or demolish the structure.

Grants are regularly available for repetitive loss properties. Sometimes there may be additional programs for other types of assistance.

·         contact the Grants Department for information about financial assistance
 
  • PROTECT THE FLOODPLAIN


    St. Tammany is a beautiful place. Our floodplains are vital assets – storing stormwater to reduce flood risk, providing wildlife habitat, and improving water quality.

    • ·         Clean gutters, inlets, swales, and ditches on your property so stormwater can drain

    • ·         Report any violation to Code Enforcement

The drainage system must be kept free of obstructions to reduce flood risk.  It is illegal to obstruct any ditch or waterway STP Code (Sec. 28-1) Debris, leaves and even grass clippings may obstruct the flow of water and cause overflow onto streets and into yards.

Never dump chemicals – such as oil, paint, and pesticides – into storm drains or canals, as it destroys plants, endangers wildlife, and contaminates drinking water.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES


St. Tammany Parish Resources

·         Citizens’ Emergency Preparedness & Safety Information Guide

·         Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage Policy & Documentation[MG2] 

·         Floodplain Management Regulations

·         Hazard Mitigation Plan

o    Project list

o    Annual report

Louisiana Resources

·         Homeowners Handbook to Prepare for Natural Disasters

·         Emergency Preparedness Guide

·         Repetitive Flood Portal

·         Recovery resources

National Resources

·         Reduce Flood Risk

·         Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your Home From Flooding

·         The Costs & Benefits of Building Higher

·         Increased Cost of Compliance Coverage

·         Flood Insurance Claims Handbook  (en español)

·         Answers to Questions about the NFIP

·         Myths and Facts about the NFIP

·         Preferred Risk Policies: A Small Investment Protects You from a Big Problem

·         NFIP Federal Disaster Assistance: Meeting the Flood Insurance Requirement

·         Starting Your Recovery After a Flood

    ·         Dealing with Mold & Mildew in your Flood Damaged Home

Resources

Contact Us

  • Administrative Complex
    21490 Koop Dr.
    Mandeville, LA 70471
    985.898.2700

    Hours of Operation:
    Monday through Friday
    8:00am to 4:30pm