Facts as a Tool for Flooded Restoration and Water Damage Clean Up in Lapeer County, MI


Buildings and houses that are constructed in the lower parts of the Great Lakes are vulnerable to being damaged by flooding. In Michigan, these types of floods can result in damages due to property loss. Flooding is a natural event, but it does not follow that the damage would have to be unavoidable.

Residents of Michigan can first arm themselves with information before anything else. Residents of the state, such as those who reside in Lapeer County, can use information as a guide when they build and restore property. The best way to minimize the risks is to let the landscape of the land work with the property rather than against it. The foremost information that should be determined in creating a structure that would not need flooded restoration and water damage clean-up in Lapeer County, MI is the 100-year floodplain.

The 100-year floodplain refers to the area that is adjacent to a body of water such as a river or stream that can be reached by the water during a flooding. It is measured to have a one percent probability of being surpassed by the water in a given year. Most likely, every body of water found in Lapeer County has an indicated floodplain.

The floodplain is determined through the use of studies in the hydrology of the land. Engineers have taken into consideration the water levels that run off into the land during a flood. The watercourse capacity and its ability to take on the water flow is measured and then computed. The runoff levels in a 100-year flood event rely on several characteristics of its surroundings. The average amount of rainfall, drainage capacity, presence of vegetation, and kind of soil all contribute to the potential for flooding. In addition to this, the natural moisture content of the soil as well as the structures that are built on it is also taken into consideration when the potential for flooding and flooded restoration are computed.

The United States Geological Survey may also have placed a gaging station in the location. A gaging station is an area in the river, lake, or stream that measures the discharges of water. The information gathered can also be used to determine the 100-year flood flow. A hydraulic analysis is then conducted to know how high the water can flow during a 100-year flood. The statistics are adjusted to take into consideration the shape of river such as its slope and size. Vegetation that is found nearby and obstructions to the body of water are also considered in the study.

If the location in Lapeer County has already undergone flooding, the hydraulic model adjusts to take into consideration past flood events. The analysis then comes up with the flood profile to identify the 100-year flood elevation of the area.

In order to better structure the property for flooded restoration, the owners should know the floodplains in Lapeer County. The floodplain map can be viewed at the Flood Insurance Rate Maps, which are made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as well as in Lapeer County offices and the local library.