Short Term Floodplain Solutions

Short term solutions are consider those items that are proactive and generally minimal in cost and/or effort. When considering short term solutions for floodplain issues, there are generally three different alternatives to consider for properties in Sioux Falls:

During Other Projects

When replacing or doing work on a property consider doing small things to make flooding less impactful to the property. Some examples include:

When replacing mechanical systems located in the lowest level (water heaters, furnaces, etc.) consider raising them off the floor at least 6 to 12 inches. This means that if water gets into the lowest level the water will need to be enough to raise up to the bottom of the unit. Flooding sources could be ground water, broken pipes, sewage, or other sources.
When replacing flooring in the lowest level, consider things that don't soak up water such as tiles or bare cement. If additional warmth for the flooring is desired an area rug or over cover can still be placed and likely replaced at less expense after a flood.
When replacing electrical in the lowest level, consider raising things like control boxes, junction boxes, outlets, or other things that if flooded would be dangerous and costly to replace.

There may be other opportunities outside of this list. Keep the concept of minimal effort and cost to raise things up when remodeling or repairing to help keep future costs down.

Before an Event

Before water starts to collect any time of the season try to maintain clear paths for water to run to as it falls down, passes through, or melts. There are many project ideas to consider but here are few ideas:

Make sure downspouts are clear of blockages in the Spring and Fall. This should help make sure water doesn't get stuck in and back up in roofs due to large rain events or snow melt.
Clean up trash or debris left in creeks or drainage area. Removing these items can help ensure that the path water takes to get to the river is not blocked and won't be diverted into a house.
Check to see if area stormwater inlets are clear, in the winter this may mean making sure there is a path shoveled into the drain for melting water to go instead of ponding up in the street. If you notice a blocked inlet please let the City of Sioux Falls Engineering Street Department know by calling 605-367-8600 or submitting an online request by selecting "Storm Drain Concerns" and picking a location on the map.

Submit an Online Request

Elevate items in your lowest level. If your lowest level is used for storage, consider using shelves that elevate items off the ground at least six inches to help prevent flood damage during an event. If something will be stored on the ground try to store it within a water tight container.

When assessing your property, consider the potential damage from a few inches of floodwater on your lowest floor. Think about what would get wet and the cost of replacing or raising those items to prevent future flood damage.

Immediately Before an Event

Emergency floodproofing measures that you can take to help protect property from a flood may include one, a few, or all of following ideas:

Sandbags - Building a wall along a portion of property or building with sandbags and plastic can help hold back some water from entering areas.
Water barriers - While sandbags are one type of water barrier that are commonly used, properties may be able to purchase other products that can be used immediately before a flood hits to redirect water from damaging property, this may include plastic or metal barriers that can be stacked, staked, or otherwise setup to withstand the pressures of a flood.
Temporary berms - sand and/or dirt may be able to be brought in to quickly create a small berm to hold back water. These types of options likely will also require plastic or some other water tight material to line the berm with.
Large water barrier bags or liners - these are basically large scale sandbags that can be filled in placed quickly to establish a line to hold water back.

With any of these options, it's important to plan ahead and know what you plan to use, where you will use it, and what additional materials you may need to successfully setup one of these options. Having at least some materials on hand or having a few different places you can get them may allow you to successfully get and setup your emergency flooding solution. Remember, it's very likely that other properties are also affected by the flood and resources may not be available for everyone during the event.

After an Event

After a flood, repairs will be necessary. In the City of Sioux Falls, substantially damaged properties (45% damage over three years) must meet current floodplain standards. Other properties can be restored to their pre-flood condition. However, it may be helpful and cost-effective to consider improvements that protect against future flood damage. Here are some options:

Relocate mechanical systems to areas less impacted by the past event.
Add drainage away from the structure so that water has a path away, this could be in the form of a small drainage channel or increasing the ground elevation around house. Even a little bit of grade change can make a large difference and ground, pavers, or concrete should not slop back to the structure. Please keep in mind that permits may be needed for this work and that any additional grading such as dirt or rocks should not come up and touch the siding on a structure due to building code standards.

Of the three options this is more a reactive fix for issues but proactive for future issues. If an event causes issues to a property it's likely that a future event will cause similar or worse issues down the road without any changes.