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Good Info Sources For Flooding in NYC
The topic of flooding in cities is large and evolving: from mitigation techniques, to water sources, incentive programs, insurance, and policy.
As a result, there are so many sub-topics, as well as potential experts and good information sources. We have reviewed hundreds.
We will use and update this page as curated list of a few: sources that stood out to us as they offer something valuable, with a quick note about why.
Quick links to sections:
Good Flood Maps for NYC
FloodGen: Compound Flood Risk + Street View Map
From BetaNYC team to help visualize risk for people.
Unique in that it uses BOTH Stormwater and Coastal flooding data and then layers in street views so people can see it visualized
Note: ONLY the dots on map are currently locations where you can slide to see the risk visualized. We hope they will be able to provide for AND address in in the future. Seeing is believing.
Really cool idea for NYC, and similar to what Climate Central.
NYC Stormwater Flood Map
See inland flooding not related to coastal surges.
Zoom in to see your block.
Stormwater flooding affected by rain but also runoff and underground water tables.
Important source of data for DEP hazard area priorities (such as Myrtle / Knickerbocker Ave in Bushwick, site of $400M sewer upgrade plan)
NY Climate Resilience Plan Map
Highlight the community-led climate resilience work undertaken by community organizations, government-led place-based plans and those from academic institutions.
Enables different-layered views using data on coastal surge, stormwater, Sandy-levels, and heat.
Can be used as a tool for community groups to see how other communities are rising to the challenges.
Subways Affected By Floods Map
About 4M ppl ride the subway each day (post-pandemic).
Subways / transit affected by flooding = “cascading impacts”.
Subway lines heavily affected by flooding are: the 6 Express line in the Bronx, the 1-2 and A-C-E lines around Canal Street and lower Manhattan in the FiDi area, and the F-Q-D lines in the Sheepshead Bay area of Brooklyn, and the A and S lines in the Howard Beach / Jamaica Bay, Broad Channel area. The three hardest hit areas in terms of subway and land flooding are the Broad Channel area, which is completely inundated, lower Manhattan, and northern Queens.
She had to play with data and map colors to not make it confusing.
The “layer selector” allow users to toggle on/off the various floodplain data in order to see how flood severity would impact.
Link to map here, or read how she did it here
Determine If You Need Mandated Flood Insurance Map
FloodHelpNY is funded by NY Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery and New York Rising and FEMA through the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice/Housing Preservation Development, and is a project of the Center for New York City Neighborhoods, Inc.
Enter an address and it gives you a risk assessment as well as various steps you can take to mitigate, including a detailed section on Flood Insurance and if required (per our Do I Need Flood Insurance story).
Very good Q&A sections, and multiple languages.
Flood Vulnerability Index Map
See specific areas of NYC and how “vulnerable” they are.
Vulnerability contains three components: 1) exposure to a hazard, 2) susceptibility to harm from the exposure, and 3) capacity to recover.
There are six hazard-specific FVIs, one for each of the six different flood hazard scenarios, which include current and two future storm surge scenarios and current and two future tidal flooding scenarios.
Compound Flood Risk + Neighbor Experiences in BK Map
Field Form created a visual story-telling tool leveraging their expertise in West Brooklyn.
Put in your address and get a personalized flood exposure index for your property.
Includes coastal+street+groundwater+sewer backup+311 reports.
See combination of factors and drainage strategies to mitigate.
In West Brooklyn now, but look forward to this to being city-wide.
Upper Manhattan / Harlem Climate Ready Plan
WE ACT with The New School Urban Systems Lab created a way to see flood risk for upper Manhtattan and Harlem
Includes “cascading impact” on subways, and ways to get away and find closest evacuation area (“Know Your Zone”) and also LinkNYC kiosks for reaching out for city help.
Comes as part of a tri-fold brochure with other preparedness tips and steps, printable for handing out and storing.
Education / Discussions / Webinars
Our Homes, Our Streets, Our City: What Can Be Done
Webinar with discussion (90 min), recorded April 2024.
DEP representatives giving their pov:
Why does sewer get overwhelmed
Recommend downspouts be disconnected from sewer lines
Free solutions from city
Q&A session on specific tactics
Gowanus Canal Conservancy leadership in meeting:
How water flows through South Brooklyn: a historical and topographical view with maps
Local green infrastructure initiatives and CSO plans
Existing vs Emerging problems and recommendations
Sponge City Concept and Examples
A “Sponge City” relies on the installation of additional green areas and replaces concrete with permeable surfaces.
These surfaces absorb water during times of rainfall.
Then, when hot weather predominates, the water evaporates and cools the city down.
Examples from different cities.
After a Century of Flooding on Fourth Avenue, City Says It’ll Be Fixed … By 2033
Article published Oct 2023.
History of 4th Avenue South Brooklyn flooding.
What are the solutions proposed and timing and why delays.
Gowanus Watershed Community Discussion
Community event in Brooklyn from 2024 (with video of panel).
Flooding can be scary, but also bring people together to talk solutions.
A high-level overview of the flooding situation in the neighborhoods within the Gowanus / Park Slope watershed
Porous pavement: what are tests showing and can we do it at our place
Green infrastructure: who will maintain it?
Requesting rain gardens via the DEP.
Sewer connection questions and who responsible for repair.
Laws on flooding, permitting, the impact of big new developments.
De-escalating the “cement race”: encouraging green approaches.
Green Infrastructure for Flooding
Examples of Green Infrastructure (Small to Big)
An overview of techniques from across the US
Practices to planning to estimating storage and costs
Green infrastructure have benefits beyond flooding.
NYC Official Green Infrastructure Portal
Updated ongoing including new rule changes.
What are the various forms of “green infrastructure” as it relates to flooding in NYC.
Maps on how to find existing / proposed projects in your area. including rain gardens and “impervious / pervious” surfaces.
Your Place
Flooded Basement? How To Deal With It
How to asses the water TYPE and different strategies
Optimizing the wet vac features
Drying it out with dehumidifiers
Mold strategies
Looking At New Place? How Tell If Flooding Issues
Your Community / Policies / Initiatives
A list of things we find relevant for flooding and helping people do mitigation. Some in different stages of consideration, debate, passage. It can be confusing as some overlap (federal money for state programs that go to the city). So instead of classifying by level of gov’t, we are doing it more by what is the gist or focus.
(Note: We are not trying to be super comprehensive on everything climate, but more focussed on incentives to help people. If you think we missed something critical or got something wrong, please email us.)
Incentives for Mitigation
State funded “Resilient Retrofit” program passed by Governor Hochul. Basic Gist: $20M in funding made available to Eligible homeowners earning up to 120 percent of their Area Median Income can apply for up to $50,000, half of which is available as a grant and half as a three percent low-interest loan. Can be used to cover the cost installing flood vents, a sump pump, or backwater valve/backflow preventer; moving utilities above the flood line; adding insulation; electrifying heating systems; or installing energy efficient appliances or lighting. In NYC, program administrator is Center for NYC Neighborhoods.
Property tax abatement for rain gardens is a new idea in bill A806 from State Sen. Bobby Carroll. Basic gist: it provides a green infrastructure tax abatement for the construction of green infrastructure projects on certain properties in a city of one million or more.”
Increase DEP’s role as an accelerator of mitigation by partnering with CBO’s under City Council Bill 1067. Basic gist: Require the DEP to enable feedback from community based organization to indicate what buildings in their area need retro-fit work for flooding and help find resources to make it happen. Focus is Southeast Queens. Currently “laid over” in Committee on Envir Protection. From City Council Member Nantasha Williams.
Using water bills to help incentivize flood mitigation work under Senate Bill S4071. Basic gist: Allows local water and sewer authorities, like New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to manage stormwater and sewage waste together. Intent is to allow water bills to help fund stormwater management work on public and private property. From State Sen. Rachel May.
Rebuild By Design’s Rainproof NYC has put focus on incentives for mitigation work, Working Group #3. Basic gist: recommendations published after a year long discussion with experts, community members and city agencies.
Preparedness and Funding
NYC Comptroller’s reports (2): first on how NYC has spent (or not) allocated funds on plan post Hurricane Sandy; and second on the status of funding for resiliency under new Federal administration. Basic gist: the city has not made as much progress on post-Sandy goals and resiliency project funding from federal government is now being threatened in 2025.
Federal funding: $160M in Federal money for NYC resiliency work under the “Water Resource Development Act” 2024 HR 8812. Basic gist: money for updated study and plan in NYC and harbor with mandate that US Army Corps of Engineers address variety of flooding threats. Article here.
Establishing an Office of Resilience and a Chief Resilience Officer at the Governor level, as well as a statewide climate resilience plan for New York. Basic gist: give someone the job to focus on this state-wide. Two bills: Senate Bill S8158A from Sen. Pete Harkham and Assembly Bill A10573 from AM Pheffer Amato.