Flood Sensor Program Expansion

Request for Public Comment
Monday, Oct. 14 through 5:00 pm Oct. 28, 2024
 

Flooding is the most frequent severe weather event and the costliest natural disaster. Floods not only affect high-risk coastal areas but, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 25% of flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas like Montgomery County. Just one inch of floodwater can cause up to $25,000 in damage. Montgomery County is committed to addressing adverse flood impacts to residents and businesses in the County.

When it rains, the county uses several tools to understand what is happening on the ground.  The county has deployed numerous sensors in flood-prone areas throughout the county to monitor events at each location and conducts additional surveillance of frequently flooded roads during rain events.  

The Flood Sensor Partnership is a cooperative effort among County agencies responsible for various aspects of Public Safety, Storm Event Preparedness and Response, and Emergency Management. Through support from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the County has installed 35 next generation IoT flood sensors in flood-prone areas of the County. The flood sensors detect rising flood water levels during storm events to send early flood warnings to officials based on real-time monitoring. More information on the Flood Sensor Project and sensor locations can be found here.

Montgomery County seeks feedback on the proposed expansion of the countywide flood sensor network with additional sites on Brighton Dam Rd, Loghouse Rd, & Long Corner Rd. Comments will be accepted through 5 pm Moday, Oct. 28, 2024 via email ([email protected]) or phone (240-777-2325). See the Public Notice here and please send your comments by the deadline, 5 pm Monday, Oct. 28, 2025.