As we move into spring, rainfall on frozen or already wet ground can cause higher water levels and increase the risk of flooding. To help you prepare, we’ve gathered information for farm and rural property owners.
General Flood Preparedness
How can I prepare the inside of my home and/or buildings?
- Consider adding waterproof membranes or using water-resilient materials to help protect your buildings’ basements from flood damage. Basement flooding can occur when water comes in from the floor, walls or windows. Installing flood-resistant materials can help save future costs and replacements.
- Install and maintain moisture alarms to detect early signs of flooding.
- Talk to a contractor to see if a sump pump or backwater valve is appropriate for your home.
How can I prepare the outside of my home and/or buildings?
- Ensure your property is properly graded, so that water drains away from your home or building. Major grading may require approvals from the municipality or CVC. If you have questions, contact your municipality or CVC’s planning and regulations team. Check if your property is in a regulated area with our regulations map.
- Slow-down and soak up stormwater with rain-ready landscaping, such as a rain garden or soakaway, adding trees or more permeable surfaces. Know these techniques may not protect your home from flooding in extreme conditions.
What about my well and septic system?
When drainage systems are surpassed or fail during flooding, septic systems can contaminate groundwater.
- Regularly test your well water and inspect your septic tank to prevent leaks.
- Download Septic Smart! for a list of dos and don’ts on maintaining septic systems.
How can I stay prepared and informed?
- Sign up to receive real-time flood alerts from CVC through Alertable.
- Have a 72-hour kit ready to go for any type of emergency.
- If you are a rural settlement resident, download A Residential Guide to Flood Prevention and Recovery to learn more about flooding and what you can do to prepare.
- Assess your home flood risk with resources from The Intact Centre for Climate Adaptation.
- Have a copy of our who should I contact during a flood factsheet.
If You Own a Farm or Riverside Property
Riverine flooding, when rivers and streams overflow onto the surrounding land, may be a concern to you, especially if you have waterways or bodies, like streams and ponds, on your property.
- Know your neighbours: damage from riverine flooding is not limited to floodplains and can affect other at-risk areas like properties on slopes, near a wetland or an erosion-prone area. These at-risk areas may be downstream from your property. Find out if you live in an at-risk area.
- Know and implement best management practices for managing ground and surface water throughout your property, from cropland drainage to soil management and more.
- Account for flooding in your Environmental Farm Plan.
- If you have livestock, review Emergency Preparedness for Farm Animals and put together a plan to shelter or evacuate your livestock.
- Get a free site visit: access funding for streambank or buffer planting and other restoration projects and agricultural best management practices to help your property stay resilient.
A version of this article first appeared in The Garden Post.