You don’t have to live along a river, coastline or in a place prone to severe weather to be impacted by flooding — and Montgomery County, Maryland, is developing a flood management plan it wants residents to help inform.
Residents are being asked to share their experiences with flood situations by filling out a brief and confidential questionnaire that will lend insight into potential strategies to eliminate or minimize the risks of flooding.
For example, the survey asks what people know about flooding, where they live and whether they’ve ever encountered flooding from a water main break, excessive rain, backed-up sewer or groundwater seeping into basements.
The county has also launched a website that offers information about avoiding frequently flooded roads, flood insurance, steps people can take to prepare for potential flooding, and how to report flooding and draining issues.
At upcoming community events explaining goals for the Comprehensive Flood Management Plan, residents can get help filling out the survey, obtain hard copy maps, get translated educational flyers and learn about the availability of flood insurance.
The events begin this weekend:
- Saturday, Sept. 24 at 8 a.m. — Gaithersburg Community Flea Market and MARC Rail Station, Pin Oak Drive, Gaithersburg
- Saturday, Oct. 1 at noon — Lotte Plaza Market, 13069 Wisteria Dr., Germantown
- Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. — Comprehensive Flood Management Plan virtual community forum
- Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. — Comprehensive Flood Management Plan virtual community forum.
About 25% of flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas like Montgomery County, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.