In honor of Texas’ Flood Safety Awareness Week 2012 (March 12-16), the Harris County Flood Control District urges residents to be informed about their area flood risk. Flooding is at the top of the list of Harris County’s natural disaster threats and the FCD recommends that all property owners have flood insurance.

Harris County has received approximately 11 inches of rain in 2012, a figure that wasn’t reached until September in 2011. All structures are at risk for flooding in Harris County and just an inch of water inside a home or business can cause thousands of dollars in damages.

A flood insurance policy is required for those properties located in a mapped one percent (100-year) floodplain on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Insurance Risk Map (FIRM) with federally backed mortgages. Mortgage companies can also require flood insurance for structures outside of the floodplain, although not all do. And, many people are unaware that a homeowner’s insurance policy doesn’t cover flood damage due to rising, vagrant water. 

Contact your insurance agent for more information about purchasing flood insurance or visit the NFIP at floodsmart.gov.

The Flood Control District also maintains a “Family Flood Preparedness” center at www.hcfcd.org/famfloodprepare.html with printable resources including an emergency kit checklist.  

Visit HarrisCountyFWS.org to monitor rainfall amounts and water levels.