Floods

What is a Flood?

Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters. Most communities in the United States can experience some kind of flooding after spring rains, heavy thunderstorms, or winter snow thaws. Floods can be slow, or fast rising but generally develop over a period of days.

What is a Flash Flood?

Flash floods usually result from intense storms dropping large amounts of rain within a brief period. Flash floods occur with little or no warning and can reach full peak in only a few minutes.

Other Information & resources

Insurance: Estimate Flood Damages Based on Height of the Flood

• FloodSmart.gov provides an interactive tool to estimate flood damages based on the height of the flood.  For example, if you enter the water level in the house as six inches, it equates the approximate dollar amount of damages.  It makes clear the benefit of flood insurance.
• Estimate Flood Damages - FloodSmart.gov
• Chesapeake Storm Surge Map
• Chesapeake FIRM Flood Zones Map
• Using a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) - FEMA 
• Top 10 Facts Every Consumer needs to know about the National Flood Insurance Program (FEMA)
• Myths and Facts about the National Flood Insurance Program (FEMA)

Maps

• NOAA Ches Bay Bridge Tides Plot
• NOAA Money Point Tides Plot
• NOAA Sewells Point Tides Plot

References

• Are you ready? Floods - FEMA
• Flood and Flash Flood - American Red Cross
• Floods - Fast Facts