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Flooding Resources
Mitigation Strategies
Represent Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings issued in 2017 part of The Secretary of the Interiors Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic Buildings. Planning and Assessment for Flood Risk Reduction is a step that should be completed for all project prior to selecting a mitigation strategy. The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service publication: Guidelines on Flood Adaptation for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, 2019 offers guidance for appropriate mitigation strategies for historic buildings and offers the recommended and not recommended modes of action.
Temporary Protective Measures *
- Flood Wrapping Systems
- Temporary Flood Barrier, System, or Equipment*
- Install Fastening Devices or Stanchions for Temporary Barriers*
- Evaluate Walls & Flood Barrier Against the Forces Induced by Flooding*
- Fill the Basement*
- Develop Procedure, Responsibilities & Training for Temporary Deployment of Flood Systems*
- Install a Generator*
- RelocateValuableCollectionstoHigherFloors,UpperShelves,OrOffsite*
Utilities + Life Safety
- Install Generators*
- Protect Utilities*
- Protection of Life Support Facilities / Dangerous Goods
Post-Event Stabilization + Protection
- Mold Remediation
- Structural Remediation
Site Adaptations*
- Plan & Implement Site Investigation*
- Provide Proper Drainage*
- Improve or Design New Stormwater Management System*
- Porous Pavements
- Infiltration Fields and Strips with Above Ground Storage
- Rainwater Retention Ponds With or Without Infiltration Possibilities
- Shallow Infiltration Measures
- Rain Water Tanks
- Reduced Paved Surfaces
- Gutter
- Artificial Islands
- Storage/Settling Tank and Storage Basins
Landscape Adaptations*
- Improve, Restore, or Implement Natural Systems
- Use of Groundcover and Shrubbery
- Add trees as "straws" to help draw water from soil
- Improve Soil Infiltration Capacity
- Stormwater Park / "WaterSquares"
- Raising Land
- Swales/Directing Stormwater
- Biofiltration Levee, Berm, or Embankment*
Public Lands / Streets / ROW
- Public Infrastructure Design
- Increase Height Difference Between Street/ Ground Floor Level
- Raised Curbs / Hollow Roads
- Increased Capacity of Sewer System
- Increased Capacity of Stormwater Infrastructure
- Reconstruct Combined Sewer Systems to Separate Sewer Systems
- Smart Drain (Ground Water)
- Infiltration and Transport Sewer
- Dikes/Levees/Seawalls
- Living Shoreline
- Green Spaces
Protect Utilities*
- Protect Utilities in a Watertight Impermeable Enclosure*
- Protection of Exposed Risers, Conduits, and Cables
- Relocate Ducts, Pipes, & Conduits*
- Utilize Duct Installation That Can Be Removed After Flood*
- Install Electrical Disconnect Above Flood Risk Level*
- Eliminate Electrical Servia From Flood Prone Areas*
- Increased Pump Capacity
- Increased Storage or Discharge Capacity of Surface Water
- Pumping Stations
- Relocate All Utilities Above the Flood Risk Level*
- Elevate & Anchor Exterior Mechanical Equipment*
- Relocate Interior Mechanical Equipment*
- Install Backflow Prevention Devices*
- Install Sump Pumps
Move the Historic Building*
- Relocate Building, Utilities, Facilities, and Infrastructure*
- Find an Available Site with as Similar Setting as Possible While Also Eliminating Flood Risk*
- Document the Historic Building with Photographs*
Elevate Building on a New Foundation*
- Assess Potential Impacts of Elevation*
- Document the Property with Photographs and/or Drawings*
- Elevate the Building on a New Foundation*
Elevate the Interior Structure*
- Assess Potential Impacts of Elevation*
- Document the Property with Photographs and/or Drawings*
- Elevate the Interior Structure (i.e. build up interior floor)*
Dry Floodproofing*
- Evaluate the Strength of Masonry Walls & Footing Against Flood*
- Anchor the Structure to the Foundation*
- Implement Site Drainage to Manage Floodwaters*
- Create Plan for Post Flood Water Removal*
- Install Backflow Prevention Devices*
- Install Sump Pumps*
- Design Temporary or Permanent Closures*
- Install Stanchions, Fasteners, or Tracks for Flood Shields*
- Install a Low Wall Around Basement Windows*
- Install Vents in Foundations Walls that Can be Sealed*
- Coasting or Covering the Exterior of Foundation Wall Surfaces*
- Temporary Removable Waterproof Membrane*
- Elevated Flood Wall/ Flood Gate
- By Pass Creation
- Building on Partially Elevated Areas
- Construction on Piles
Wet Floodproofing*
- Evaluate the Strength of Masonry Walls & Footing Against Flood*
- Anchor the Structure*
- Relocate Utilities*
- Install a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter*
- Install Hydrostatic Flood Vents (following Engineering Guidance)*
- Install a Pumping System*
- Remove NonHistoric Finishes & Furnishings that Retain Moisture*
- Relocate Electrical Outlets & Panels Above Flood Risk Level*
- Wet Proofing (Water Resistant Crawl Space or Interiors)
- Install a Horizontal Water Stop*
- Abandon the First Story*
- Utilize Flood Damage Resistant Materials*
- Fast Replacement Components
Fill the Basement*
- Assess Strength of Basement Walls & Footings (Modify if Necessary)*
- Remove or Breakup NonPorous /Concrete Basement Floor Slabs*
- Relocate All Systems & Utilities*
- Fill Basement Using Removable Fill Material (Gravel, Soil, or Sand) & Compact*
Abandon the First Story*
- Evaluate the Strength of Walls, Columns, & Footings*
- Document Interior Materials, Features, Finishes, & Spaces*
- Abandon the First Story*
Planning and Assessment for Flood Risk Reduction*
- Identify & Catalogue Important Historic Features*
- Develop an Adaptive Strategies Implementation Plan*
- Identify & Evaluate Vulnerabilities*
- Document Properties & Defining Characteristics*
- Monitor Character Defining Features*
- Identify, Utilize, & Maintain Existing Characteristics that Minimize Flood Impacts*
Policies
- Policy Regulations
- Policy Incentives
Post-Event "Historic Resiliency Triage" Teams
- Trades and Vocational Training
- Integration into Higher Education
- Identify & Assess Flood Damage*
Information Resources
- Checklist for preparation of historic property / resources
- Checklist for postevent recovery of historic property / resources
- Centralized website / digital platform of tools, standards, checklists
Education
- Public Awareness
- Healthy Waterways / Wetlands Education
- Public Education
- Educate Tourists
Mapping + Data
- Online Mapping
- Sea Level Rise Visualization
- Ongoing Data Collection of Flood / Storm Surge / Tidal Data
- Identify Vulnerable Cultural Resources
Natural Systems Monitoring
- Vulnerability of Flora and Fauna
- Mapping of Impacts on Watersheds
Economic Disruption Mitigation
- Assess Value of Business or Property Services
- Tourism Climate Change Assessment
Helpful Links:
- Live or work in a flood-prone area? Reduce Flood Risk can be your guide. The Association of State Floodplain Managers built Reduce Flood Risk to help lead you to information and resources tailored to your situation and needs.
- Flooding and Historic Property Resources and NPS guidance on Sustainability, Energy Efficiency, Resilience & Historic Buildings
- Arkly Flood Risk Search Tool allows homeowners to search for their properties and learn about their flood risk.
- Search for any property within the United States to look at potential flood risk indicators and ways to protect your property.
- Provides outreach and education and a number of flood proofing type products for commercial and residential properties.
- My Florida Safe Program helps homes become hurricane ready by providing free Wind Mitigation Inspections to homeowners that may lead to cost-share grant opportunities for door, window and roof upgrades.
- FEMA Technical Guidance on Dry Flood Proofing and FEMA Guidance to Floodproofing PDF's
- University of Florida – IFAS Extension office for St. Johns County
- University of Florida – a number of resources for Florida friendly plants/yards, green infrastructure
- St Johns River Water Management District Waterwise Landscaping recommends water-efficient landscaping to help save water.
- St. Johns County Flood Viewer to search for any properties and determine which flood zone they are located in.
- Sea level rise tool accessible through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that you can look at for properties for different types of scenarios, such as high tide flooding, sea level rise
- FEMA flood maps
- Jacksonville National Weather Service
- The Florida Climate Institute is concerned with achieving a better understanding of climate variability and change, and has valuable articles for those interested in learning more.
- Florida Living Shorelines
- Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) can be used to supplement or replace traditional gray stormwater infrastructure for managing the impacts of rain in urban areas. GSI reduces pollution and treats stormwater by retaining rainfall near its source instead of directing it to a centralized pond or treatment system. These techniques deliver environmental, social and economic benefits to communities. When communities introduce green stormwater infrastructure, everyone wins.
- Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 2 Upcoming Projects within St. Johns County
- Fathom data includes flood maps, catastrophe modeling and terrain data. Check your property to see the the most up-to-date flooding predictions
- Agencies and organizations at the federal, tribal, state, and local level (and internationally) are issuing studies on climate impacts to historic properties and guidance on how to address such impacts