Heavy Rains Cause Flooding Across the United States

Heavy rainfall across the United States has caused a number of small floods across the nation this week, with residences in Staten Island and Colorado filling with water after water rushed down roads and creeks overflowed. Around this time, flood warnings were also issued in a variety of locations, including Boston and Reno, as rain continued to fall even in these disparate areas. And as the hurricane season continues, it is possible that these aren’t the last flood warnings we will see. For this reason, homeowners are encouraged to take precautions to protect their homes from the weather, especially if you live in an area that is prone to floods.

The flooding in Staten Island reportedly began early on the morning of Tuesday, July 15, after heavy rains pelted the New York City area Monday night. Lightning disrupted the area’s electricity around 2 a.m., and the heavy rain quickly rose to wader’s knees. Meanwhile, on the highways, many motorists had to leave their cars or be rescued by firefighters after becoming stranded on dark streets. Currently, there are no reports of serious injuries or deaths related to the storm, but most of the Eastern Seaboard, including Boston and Jacksonville, continued to experience rain and flood warnings throughout the day.

Unfortunately, this is just the latest incident of flooding after a number of structures Colorado were damaged this weekend. On Saturday, July 12, Rocky Ford, Colorado experienced what was described as “severe flooding”, with heavy rain filling the streetswith knee-high water and almost flooding a local movie theater. The flooding continued on the 15th in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, washing out a bridge and causing a family to flee their homes. This is reportedly the second time in a year that the house has flooded; this time, however, the damage appears potentially irreparable and the family is being cared for by the American Cross.

With so much damage already incurred at the beginning of hurricane season, it may be necessary for homeowners to take precautions against flooding, particularly if your home is located in an area that usually experiences this problem. For short term solutions, clear your gutters to prevent water damage to your house, and have an evacuation strategy in case you are unable to stay at your home. For more long-term solutions, however, consider contacting a professional landscape design company to install concrete retaining walls on your property to help prevent flood waters from reaching your home.

“Drainage is very important with any sort of hardscaping, it’s important that behind retaining walls there is clean rock and hard tiles because eventually flooding erosion can erode walls and cause them to need rebuilding,” Nicole Newkirk, Landscape Design at Artistic Group. “Drainage systems can help combat flooding by reducing erosion by properly directing water, ensuring these systems are set up properly is imperative.”

As heavy rains continue across the country, we wish the best for areas at risk of flooding and those who have been affected thus far. We advise all people who could potentially be affected by flooding this hurricane season to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves. This includes taking both short term measures for current flood warnings, as well as long-term measures to protect your home and families in the future.