Stages of a Flood

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) oversees the National Weather Service, which issues weather warnings for all kinds of weather emergencies, including flood. There are four categories of a flood: minor flooding, moderate flooding, major flooding and record flooding. Since the actual water levels can vary according to the landscape features and other factors, these categories are used to denote the most significant flood impacts somewhere within the reach of the flood waters.

Minor Flooding

• Minor flooding occurs when water reaches a height at which some some property along the edge of the water might be damaged or at risk. In order to qualify as minor flooding, there must be some potential danger to the public.

Moderate Flooding

• Moderate flooding includes flooding of low-lying roads and structures. At this stage, it might be necessary to move some people and their belongings to higher ground.

Major Flooding

• At the major flooding stage, the water causes extensive flooding of the surrounding areas and roadways. At this stage, there will be significant property damage and a large number of evacuations of both people and belongings.

Record Flooding

• Record flooding occurs when the water rises to a point equal to or higher than any previous measurement. At this stage, large areas and roadways are under water, and there is major damage to property. There is widespread evacuation of people and property.