The best response to any signs of flash flooding is to move immediately and quickly to higher ground. Cars can be easily be swept away in just 2 feet of moving water. If flood waters rise around a car, it should be abandoned. Passengers should climb to higher ground. Most communities in the United States can experience some kind of flooding after spring rains, heavy thunderstorms, or winter snow thaws.
Floods can be slow, or fast rising but generally develop over a period of days.
Dam failures are potentially the worst flood events. A dam failure is usually the result of neglect, poor design, or structural damage caused by a major event such as an earthquake. When a dam fails, a gigantic quantity of water is suddenly let loose downstream, destroying anything in its path. Communities particularly at risk are those located in low-lying areas, near water, or downstream from a dam. Please check our pages West Milford Dams and Flood Facts.