Flood Protection & Preparation

Check with the Engineering Department on the extent of past flooding in your area. Department staff can tell you about the causes of repetitive flooding, what the City is doing about it, and what would be an appropriate flood protection level. City staff can visit your property to discuss flood protection alternatives.

Prepare for flooding by doing the following:

• Review and print this helpful overview of flooding preparations, response during an event and recovery (PDF).
• Revisar e imprimir esta información general útil de los preparativos de inundación, la respuesta durante un evento y la recuperación (PDF).
• Have flood insurance on your property and also on its content.
• Know how to shut off the electricity and gas to your house when a flood comes.
• Make a list of emergency numbers and identify a safe place to go to.
• Make a household inventory, especially of basement content.
• Put insurance policies, valuable papers, medicine, etc. in a safe place.
• Collect and put cleaning supplies, camera, waterproof boots, etc. in a handy place.
• Develop a disaster response plan - See the Red Cross website for a copy of the brochure.
• Get a copy of Repairing Your Flooded Home (from FEMA, or visit the Main Public Library.)
• Review our Emergency Management page dedicated to preparing for and recovering from flood damage.
• View this video to learn the appropriate way that flood-damaged debris should be separated for efficient removal after a disaster.

Permanent Flood Protection

Consider some permanent flood protection measures.

• Mark your fuse or breaker box to show the circuits to the floodable areas.
• Turning off the power to the basement (we don’t have many basements in Pasadena) can reduce property damage and save lives.
• Elevating your house above flood levels.
• Check your building for water entry points (in basements).
• Install a floor drain plug, stand pipe, overhead sewer, or sewer backup valve to prevent sewer back up flooding.

More information can be found in Homeowners Guide to Retrofitting. Copies can be found at the main City of Pasadena Public Library. Note that some flood protection measures may need a building permit and others may not be safe for your type of building, so be sure to talk to the Building Department. Talk to the Building Department for information on financial assistance.

Flood Insurance

Get a flood insurance policy. It will help to pay for repairs after a flood and, in some cases, it will help to pay the costs of elevating a substantially damaged building.

Homeowners insurance polices do not cover floods. However, because Pasadena participates in the National Insurance Program, you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy. This insurance is backed by the Federal government and is available to everyone, even properties that have been flooded. Because Pasadena participates in the Community Rating System, you will receive a reduction in the insurance premium.

Preferred Risk Policy

If your property is not mapped in a Special Flood Hazard area, you may qualify for a lower-cost Preferred Risk Policy. 

Contents Coverage

Some people have purchased flood insurance because it was required by the bank when they got a mortgage or home improvement loan. Usually these policies just cover the building structure and not the contents. Be sure you have contents coverage.

Additional Information

Do not wait for the next flood to buy flood insurance protection. In most cases, there is a 30-day waiting period before National Flood Insurance program coverage takes effect. Contact your insurance agent for more information on rates and coverage.

If you need more information, please call the Action Line at 713-475-5555 or visit our Main Public Library, the Engineer Department at:

1114 Davis
2nd floor
Pasadena, TX 77506