When heavy snow melts or heavy rain falls, it can cause water to accumulate in or be diverted to places it shouldn't, leading to damage to homes and properties.

While most believe that flooding is primarily the result of heavy rain or storms, such as hurricanes, the truth is that overall winter conditions, including low temperatures, frozen ground and icy conditions, serve as a catalyst for potentially major flood events.

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the world. In fact, experts at the First Street Foundation predict that the cost of flood damage will increase 61% for United States properties over the next 30 years.

Combatting common winter storm flooding issues starts with the knowledge and understanding of what to be on the lookout for. Having the necessary information regarding flooding issues from winter storms allows us to make the most informed decisions about potential solutions to have on hand. Here are the three most common winter storm flooding issues to always have a plan for.

Winter Storm Flooding: Accounting For Frozen Ground and Ice Dams

Frozen ground surfaces are a major factor with flooding during the winter months. When the ground is frozen, it loses its ability to absorb water, which means that any melting snow or new rain will run off and continue to flow, instead of being absorbed into the soil. This can lead to a buildup of water on the surface, which can cause rapid and disastrous flooding in low-lying areas. Additionally, when the ground is frozen, the water that does seep into the soil will be unable to drain properly and disseminate, which can also contribute to potentially major flood events.

This causes problems for drainage systems, such man made culverts and natural water bodies such as creeks, rivers and streams. The associated ice build up, or “ice dam” causes ice to block the flow of water, creating a build up that may be released quickly or a diversion of water to areas not equipped to handle the water flow.

Backed up water without any chance of absorption or drainage can make its way towards important infrastructure. It is important to establish a protocol you can follow to protect your property. This may involve clearing and melting ice before it becomes a problem, or when this is not possible because the ice is located far from your property or on public or other private land, creating a perimeter barrier to protect your structure and property.

Finding perimeter flood protection solutions that can stand up against rising water levels and their associated hydrostatic pressure is extremely important. Most perimeter flood products miss the mark on two significant fronts. The first is that some do not provide adequate protection height. The second is that many options are difficult to deploy, maneuver and store when not in use. Therefore, when planning out your protective solutions, be sure to secure a protective product that can account for high levels of flooding while also providing you the convenience of a simple and rapid deployment.

Winter Storm Flooding: Melting Events

Snow melt is one of the most significant culprits when it comes to flooding during the winter storm season. Over time, as multiple winter storms stack on top of each other, the build up of fallen snow becomes more significant. Once the temperature starts to rise again and weather becomes warmer, melting occurs, creating huge flows of water. In areas where there is a heavier than normal snowpack, the spring thaw can bring heavy flooding.

Combined with the above mentioned risk of newly formed ice dams or frozen ground below, this melting ice water from the snow has no place to go and can create extensive water flows, volume of water, and flooding.

Add a heavy rain event that accelerates the melting and which is also re-routed due to frozen ground and ice dams, and winter flooding can be as severe or worse than other types of flooding.

Additionally, as ice jams form in local water sources, such as rivers and streams, and these begin to thaw, the overwhelming rush of water can cause major overflow that can reach miles outside the traditional perimeter of water and into the surrounding area.

It is imperative to be prepared. Start by understanding and assessing the vulnerable areas of your home, business, or other properties. These susceptible areas are a great place to start building your preparedness plan and putting protective flood barriers in place. Understand your surroundings such as local water sources and drainage systems that could become affected by snow melt and winter storm events and consider the likely direction of flooding and how it may affect your property. By conducting this assessment you are able to adequately procure the best flood barrier solutions to fit your needs.

Winter Storm Flooding: Bursting Pipe Issues

As temperatures drop and winter storms roll in, the cold environment brings about numerous instances where pipes inside of any infrastructure are at risk of freezing. As pipes begin to freeze, they also begin to expand. This increases the probability of a severe pipe burst. Whenever pipe bursts occur, the overwhelming amount of rushing water into any building or home can cause severe damage.

Instances such as burst pipes can lead to catastrophic flooding events inside of a structure usually without any notice. According to Water Damage Defense, 14,000 people in the US experience a water damage emergency at home or work each day. Additionally, frozen pipe related failures on average produce $8,200 in damage costs in a single event. Therefore, the importance of having a preparedness plan in place is pivotal to the success of mitigating the damage.

Procuring the necessary flood protection in the event of a pipe burst is critical to prevent water from damaging vital assets. Because burst pipes happen suddenly, having water absorption and barrier solutions you can count on and rapidly deploy to stop water is critical.

Garrison™️ Flood Control: Your Winter Storm Flooding Solution

Here at Garrison™️ Flood Control, we make flood defense our mission. As manufacturers of a wide variety of flood protection solutions, our goal is to ensure that we are your go to resource for all things preparedness. We provide protective flooding solutions that account for both minor and major winter flooding events.

Our Mayim™️ Modular Flood Barrier is a flood barrier system designed to allow for easy deployment and durable protection. Mayim Flood Barriers utilize a simple lock connection system that allows each panel to connect to one another. Because Mayim also has turn pieces and End Gables to connect with structures, Mayim is an ideal overall protective solution that can perfectly fit a desired protection area.

When winter storm flooding events occur that threaten the perimeter of your property, the Mayim can provide a protection height up to 30 in high.

When a winter flood threat arrives at your entryways, Garrison’s Hammerhead™️ Aluminum Flood Plank System can stop water in its tracks. Easily installed into doorways, loading docks and more, the Hammerhead utilizes aluminum planks that slide seamlessly into U-Channel posts allowing for durable protection. With a protection height of 6.5ft and aluminum plank lengths up to 12ft wide, the Hammerhead serves as a foundational flood protection solution that you can depend on during not only the winter months, but all throughout the year.

For water absorption and indoor structure protection against burst pipes, Garrison’s Minnow™️ Gel Filled Flood Bags absorb water quickly, similar to a diaper, and then become a durable protective barrier that holds back water. Minnow can be used inside or outside to hold back water. Because Minnow is water activated, Minnow bags are stored flat, ready to be transported quickly to the flood site. Flood bags only swell when exposed to water.

In a world where time is valuable when reacting to a flood, these quick bags are a must have tool in your emergency plan.

Full Flood Protection | Flood Planning and Preparedness

In addition to the solutions above, Garrison provides a full catalog of potential flood protection solutions that can fit your emergency preparedness plans. As the years continue to pass, winter flood events are becoming more frequent and even more severe. We pride ourselves on being a true resource to your protection efforts. Contact Us today and consult with a flood specialist and we can help you build a comprehensive flood protection plan around our solutions. That way this winter, your flood defense efforts will be taken care of.

Garrison is here to help you find the best water dams that fit your protection needs. Feel free to contact us and we can start creating a dedicated flood plan for your property.

Garrison™ Flood Control is a New York-based manufacturer and distributor of a complete line of flood control products. Garrison products contain, divert, and re-route water away from valuable property, equipment, infrastructure, and facilities and help prevent flood damage due to rising water levels.

For additional information about Garrison Flood Control Systems, please call 929-299-2099 or email sales@garrisonflood.com.