It’s Texas Flood Awareness Week
Learn how you can prepare yourself and your home for flooding
Texas Flood Awareness Week is May 22–26. Learn how you can protect your home, your finances, and your family from flooding and also explore helpful resources. Hurricane season is right around the corner, and now is the time to purchase flood insurance and get prepared.
Helpful Resources
Flood Prevention and Preparedness
Purchase flood insurance now
Most flood insurance has a 30-day waiting period before the policy goes into effect. If you purchase flood insurance when a hurricane is already in the Gulf, you won’t be protected from any flood damage caused by that storm. It’s imperative to buy your insurance early, so the policy is active when you need it. Most homeowners’ insurance does not cover flood damage. The City of League City participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, which means that federally subsidized flood insurance is available to everyone in the City.
Just 1 inch of water can cause roughly $25,000 of damage to your home.
Insurance Discounts
The City of League City voluntarily participates in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System, a voluntary federal program that rewards communities with discounts on flood insurance policies when they implement higher flood protection standards. League City's efforts enable property owners in the floodplain to get a 10% discount and some property owners outside the floodplain may be eligible for a 5% discount. Learn more about flood insurance here.
Prepare your Property
- Clean your gutters and drainage downspouts
- Have your roof inspected
- Direct water flow from downspouts away from your home
- Ensure storm drains near your home are clear of debris
- Document your belongings to support your insurance claim in the event of a flood.
Flood Safety and Awareness
Turn Around Don’t Drown®
- More than 50% of flood-related deaths are due to someone driving or walking into floodwaters.
- 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock adults off their feet and sweep them away.
- 12 inches of moving water can carry off a small car.
- 18 to 24 inches of moving water can carry away larger vehicles including trucks, vans, and SUVs.
If you encounter a flooded area, you may not know the depth of the water or the condition of the road or ground underneath. This is especially true at night, when your vision is more limited. Play it safe. Whether driving or walking, any time you come to a flooded area, Turn Around Don’t Drown®.
Types of Flooding
River Flood
A river flood occurs when water levels rise over the top of a riverbank. It doesn't take long for these riverbeds to fill up and have to go somewhere like your backyard!
Coastal Flood
Coastal cities experience impacts from shallow coastal flooding several times a year because of coastal development and lower elevation. A coastal flood is caused by a higher-than-average high tide and worsened by heavy rainfall and onshore winds. For example, the wind blowing landward from the ocean.
Storm Surge
Storm surge is extremely dangerous because it can flood large, populated areas. Storm surge is caused by forces generated by a severe storm's wind, waves, and low atmospheric pressure. Extreme flooding can occur in coastal areas particularly when storm surge coincides with normal high tide, resulting in storm tides reaching up to 20 feet or more in some cases. Along the coast, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane.
Inland Flood
Hurricanes and tropical storms can also cause inland flooding. This type of flooding occurs further from the coastline than coastal flooding, but is caused by the same type of storm.
Flash Flood
A flash flood is caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time, generally less than 6 hours. They can occur within anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours of excessive rainfall. Rainfall is not necessary for a flash flood to occur. Flash flooding can also be caused by man-made levees or dam failure.