Floodwaters can cover many blocks up to four or five feet deep. Other streams in Novi, including Shaw Creek, Leavenworth Creek, Munro Creek, Chapman Creek, Ingersol Creek, Bishop Creek, Thornton Creek, and Novi-Lyon Drain are smaller streams, which flood during or soon after heavy storms. Flooding can also be caused from Walled Lake, Shawood Lake, and Twelve Oaks Lake.

Floodwaters are not as deep, but they still cover streets and yards and can flood cars, garages, basements and lower floors. Flooding can come with little warning. A major flood occurred on June 26, 1968. Even typical spring flooding can cause damage. Maybe you have even seen Grand River Avenue over the Walled Lake Branch of the Middle River Rouge, west of Novi Road occasionally flooded over after a heavy rainstorm. Floods are also dangerous. Even though they appear to move slowly (a few feet per second), a flood two feet deep can knock a man off his feet and float a car.

Your property may be high enough that it was not flooded recently. However, it can still be flooded, the odds are that someday your property will be damaged.

Here are some ideas of what you can do to protect yourself.

Several of the City’s efforts depend on your cooperation and assistance. Here is how you can help:

Do not dump or throw anything in the ditches or streams. Dumping in our ditches and streams is a violation of City of Novi Ordinance No. 70-15. Even grass clippings and branches can accumulate and plug channels. A plugged channel cannot carry water and when it rains the water has to go somewhere. Every piece of trash contributes to flooding.

If your property is next to a ditch or stream, please do your part and keep the banks clear of brush and debris. The City has a stream maintenance program, which can help remove major blockages such as downed trees. Contact the DPW for assistance.

If you see dumping or debris in the ditches or streams contact Neighborhood Services at 248-347-0437.

Always check with the Building Department before you build on, alter, regrade, or fill your property. A permit may be needed to ensure that projects do not cause problems on other properties.

If you see building or filling without a City permit sign posted, contact the Building Department at 248-347-0415.

There are several different ways to protect a building from flood damage. One way is to keep the water away by regarding your lot or building a small floodwall or earthen berm. These methods work if your lot is large enough, if flooding is not too deep, and if your property is not in the floodway. The Building Department can provide this information.

Another approach is to make your walls waterproof and place watertight closures over the doorways. This method is not recommended for houses with basements or if water will get over two feet deep.

A third approach is to raise the house above flood levels. A small wood frame house can be elevated for less than $10,000. Many houses, even those not in the floodplain, have sewers that back up into the basement during heavy rains. A plug or standpipe can stop this if the water doesn’t get more than one or two feet deep. They can be purchased at a hardware store for under $25. For deeper sewer backup flooding, talk to a plumber about overheard sewers or backup valves.

These measures are called flood proofing or retrofitting. More information is available at the Novi Public Library. Important note: Any alteration to your building or land requires a permit from the Building Department. Even regarding or filling in the floodplain requires a permit. Any alteration to the street right-of-way including drive approach, culvert, ditch, sidewalk, etc., requires a permit from the DPW.

If you don’t have flood insurance, talk to your insurance agent.

Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover damage from floods. However, because Novi participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy. This insurance is backed by the Federal government and is available to everyone, even for properties that have been flooded.

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’s structure and not the contents. During the kind of flooding that happens in Novi, there is usually more damage to the furniture and contents than there is to the structure.

At last count, there were 54 flood insurance policies in Novi. If you are covered, check out the amount and make sure you contents coverage. Remember: Even if the last flood missed you or you have done some floodproofing, the next flood could be worse. Flood insurance covers all surface floods.

Currents can be deceptive; six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet. If you walk in standing water, use a pole or stick to ensure that the ground is still there.

For specific questions please contact the Community Development Director Steve Rumple, at 248-347-0415.