Emergency Flood Damage

Certainly, Spokane has seen its share of flooding over the years. The Spokane River and its tributaries, together with local geology and weather, have always made the area prone to flooding. Even with flood control measures in place, intense precipitation and rapid snowmelt can still result in major flooding that impacts many parts of the city.

Indeed, water damage in Spokane is viewed as an emergency, and rightly so. The efficient basement and bathroom flooding repair expert operates on the following principle: My clients help protect their most valuable asset—their home. And when an owner is faced with a flooded basement or bathroom, action must be taken without delay. Repairs in these most vulnerable areas of the home are crucial to the structural integrity of the entire house. Immediate Inspections, Action Saves Money.

In Spokane, paying for flood damage can be a shared responsibility. Those harmed by the flooding may ask for payment in the following ways:• Homeowners with flood insurance can typically expect to receive compensation from their insurance provider, assuming their policy covers the specific type of flooding that occurred. • Many standard homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage, so individuals without flood insurance may end up paying out of pocket for repairs. • Federal assistance programs, such as those offered by FEMA, may help some individuals who were harmed by the flooding, but this is not a guaranteed source of funding. • Local and state government assistance may also help some individuals who were harmed by flooding, but again, this is not a guaranteed or widely available source of funds.

If flooding occurs in Spokane, you should make certain that you and your loved ones are safe before doing anything else. Move to higher ground and stay well away from floodwaters. 1. Stay Safe  A. Do not walk through flowing water.  Just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot will sweep your vehicle away.  B. Stay informed. Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for the latest updates.  C. If authorities tell you to evacuate, do so immediately. 2. Get Out  A. Take your emergency kit with you. Essentials include: 1. Water - at least a quart per person per day for three days. 2. Food - the same rules as for the water, but figure on three days. 3. Medications - a three-day supply is your minimum. 4. Important documents - I.D.s, insurance info, and anything else that's crucial. B. If you are told to disconnect your electrical appliances, do so, and do not touch anything that requires electricity if you are wet or standing in water.

The Rathdrum Prairie-Spokane Valley Aquifer in Washington and Idaho is roughly 150 to 600 feet deep, depending on the location within the aquifer. Its Spokane sector is more shallow but is still called an aquifer. However, the aquifer's extreme shallowness and its sharp angle upward toward bedrock give the aquifer two much more dangerous characteristics: The easily contaminated aquifer is right beneath so much at-risk-to-flood land, and it is a floodplain aquifer.

Spokane's air quality suffers for several reasons connected to emergency flood damage. When floodwaters recede, they can leave behind a hodgepodge of pollutants—things like mold, dust, and debris from damaged structures. That trio alone could pose a serious threat to air quality, but it's not the only thing. The moisture in the air from the flood, which may have required as much as 30% of the National Guard to deploy in an area during World War II, can exacerbate the mold problem. And then there's the increased use of vehicles and machinery in an emergency, which tends to produces more exhaust (with associated pollutants) than usual.

The aquifer that serves Spokane is largely underground, but its extent and overall character can be visualized using a surface map of the aquifer's topography, a projection that also provides a good view of the elevation contours of the land above the aquifer. These projections show that the aquifer has a large capacity and that it underlies not only the immediate area of Spokane but also a large portion of the surrounding topography. In fact, the aquifer supplies not only the city of Spokane but also many of the communities around the aquifer's edges with an assured and reliable supply of clean, safe drinking water.

The state with the biggest underground aquifer is Nebraska, which is part of the system of the Ogallala Aquifer.

In the Spokane area, the aquifer—in particular, the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer—is typically found at depths of 50 to 150 feet below the ground surface. However, the aquifer's depth can change depending on the precise location within the region.

In the event of emergency flooding in Spokane, check for any and all official advisories regarding the safety of drinking water. Flooding can—and likely will—compromise the safety of the water supply. How could it not? Water is the most essential element in any disaster scenario, and it wants to go everywhere and anywhere. Look to local news outlets for the latest water drama, and count on your local authorities and water department to keep you up to date on this vital public health issue. There's likely a good chance they will.