Flood Awareness Week is Monday, May 24 through Friday, May 28.
The Texas Floodplain Management Association encourages everyone to “Wear Blue Wednesday” to promote flood safety and flood awareness. The City of Denton wants all residents and visitors to remember to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” when faced with flooding and flash flooding.
In recognition of Flood Awareness Week, the City is encouraging residents to review flood safety tips and maps that show local flood hazard areas. The City has a layer available on its GIS maps that is useful in helping to determine if you live in a floodplain. The “FEMA” checkbox on the right of the map can be clicked to show the areas of risk. These include the floodway (or the channel and adjacent land areas) in dark blue, the 1% chance (formerly 100-year) floodplain in light blue and the 0.2% chance (formerly 500-year) floodplain in red. For example, there is a 1% chance or 0.2% chance you will see a flood like the one on the FEMA flood map each year. The GIS map is frequently updated by City staff.
Flooding is a natural and often unpredictable occurrence. It can happen anywhere, even in low-risk areas. The City of Denton urges residents to always follow these flood safety tips:
Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
It is NEVER safe to drive or walk through flood waters.
Heed all warning signs and barricades.
Don’t underestimate the power of water. Remember, just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
Always be aware of your surroundings when driving.
Use extra caution when driving or walking at night in storm conditions.
Residents are encouraged to take precautions, stay alert in adverse weather conditions, and consider purchasing flood insurance, even if they do not live in a floodplain. Residents can contact the City with questions or comments about flood awareness using our Engage Denton app or at www.engagedenton.com.
Visit the National Weather Service’s website or ready.gov/floods to learn what to do before, during, and after a flood, or refer to Texas Floodplain Management Association’s website at www.tfma.org to find additional helpful resources.
Contact: Michael Smith P.E., Senior Drainage Engineer and Floodplain Administrator, (940) 349-7656, Michael.Smith@cityofdenton.com or Engineering at (940) 349-8910.
