A wet fall and heavy snowfall this winter have increased the likelihood of flooding this spring.

The North Dakota State University Extension Service has information online at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/flood to help you prepare your farm, ranch or home for a flood and deal with the aftermath of flooding.

“This flood information Web page provides up-to-date, research-based information for homeowners, farmers, ranchers and anyone else who wants help in protecting themselves, their families and their property,” says Ken Hellevang, NDSU Extension agricultural engineer and flood expert.

Here are some of the topics by category:

Before the flood

• Protecting your property
• Sandbagging
• Avoiding groundwater damage to homes
• Preventing snowmelt problems
• Reducing flooding from drainage

During the flood

• Water conservation tips
• Using standby generators
• Dealing with septic systems

After the flood

• Restoring flooded buildings
• Drying and repairing your home
• Dealing with flooded electrical systems and appliances
• Preventing and removing mold

Other subjects the Web site covers include:

• Food - drinking water safety, preparing and handling food during and after a power outage
• Cleaning and disinfecting - cleaning your flooded or water-damaged home; cleaning flooded wells; cleaning and disinfecting textiles, bedding, carpets, rugs, heating systems, cookware, dishes and utensils
• Financial issues - handling family finances during disasters, recordkeeping, filing insurance claims, avoiding fraud, national flood insurance program, applying for assistance
• Children- understanding how children respond to stress and anger, ideas for helping kids deal with disasters and stress, talking to children about tough times
• Stress - dealing with stress after a disaster, directory of North Dakota support services
• Pets - disaster preparation for pets
• Farm and ranch – evacuation preparation, sandbagging, using standby generators, reconditioning flooded farm vehicles and equipment
• Crops - salvaging crops and stored wet feed and grain, replanting or late planting crops, tips for handling flooded soils, storing pesticides, weed management after a flood
• Livestock - protecting livestock during a flood, maintaining livestock health after a flood, using flood-damaged hay and grain
• Mitigation - reducing future flood damage

The site also has resources in other languages and links to information from other universities and organizations, such as the Extension Disaster Education Network, eXtension, National Weather Service, American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

You can follow major updates to the Web site via Twitter at http://twitter.com/floodinfo.

NDSU Agriculture Communication