Know Your Flood Hazard

Floods are the most common natural disaster in the U.S. (nearly everybody has some risk of flooding). 

The top causes for flooding in North Carolina are severe storms, hurricanes, and tropical storms. This type of weather usually results in heavy rainfall and high coastal waters. In addition, North Carolina has 17 major river basins, which typically rise and sometimes crest after heavy rain or snow melts too quickly from the mountains.

Visit the following websites to learn more about flood resources available for your location and your risk.

North Carolina's Flood Information Center  Learn about flood risk at a specific address, to include flood hazard, structural and content impacts, potential insurance rates, mitigation opportunities and the location of flood warning sites near you.  Visit the Flood.NC.gov. 

Flood Risk Information System Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters in terms of human hardship and economic loss. The Regional Flood Risk Information System allows states to share and distribute flood risk information more effectively.

FIMAN: NC Flood Inundation Mapping This website provides real-time data on stream elevation, rainfall and weather parameters from over 550 gages across North Carolina. Some sites may be rain or stage gages only while some may have weather data available. Many of these gages are managed by the Division of Emergency Management (NCDEM) while some are operated by local government agencies and private organizations. Additionally, gages from the U.S. Geological Survey are included in this network.

Carteret County’s Online Mapping Portal  Find a detailed flood plain map on this site. It is an interactive mapping tool with an array of data layers available for public use, including tax parcel data, flood map data and much more. 

United States Geological Survey   Historical Flooding information is available by storm name and year. The USGS provides practical, unbiased information about the Nation's rivers and streams that is crucial in mitigating hazards associated with floods. This site provides information about the USGS activities, data, and services provided during regional high-flow events, such as hurricanes or multi-state flooding events.

Flood History   Take a look back at the Floods that impacted North Carolina on the North Carolina Flood Insurance website.

NC Floodplain Management Quick Guide  The North Carolina Division of Emergency Management is pleased to provide this Quick Guide to help citizens understand what floodplain management is and why floodplain development is regulated.