Types of Wetlands: Marshes, Swamps, Bogs, and Fens

Part 2 of Wetlands. Do you think all wetlands are the same? They’re not! Each wetland differs due to variations in soils, landscape, climate, water regime and chemistry, vegetation, and human disturbance. Below are brief descriptions of the major types of wetlands found in the United States organized into four general categories: marshes, swamps, bogs, […]


Effects of Flood Rates of Rise and Duration

Part 5 of How Can A Flood Damage Your Home. Rates of Rise and Fall You may not have heard these terms before, but they describe important characteristics of flooding: how rapidly the elevation (and therefore the depth) of water increases and decreases during a flood. These rates are usually expressed in terms of feet […]


What is Flood Flow Velocity?

Part 3 of How Can A Flood Damage Your Home. Flow velocity is the speed at which floodwaters move. It is usually measured in feet per second (fps). Flow velocities during riverine floods can easily reach 5 to 10 fps and, in some situations, may be even greater. Expressing velocities in fps is common in […]


Flood Depth and Elevation Effects On Your Home

Part 2 of How Can A Flood Damage Your Home. The depth and elevation of flooding are so closely related that, for the purposes of this discussion, they can be viewed as a single characteristic. Flood depth is the height of the floodwater above the surface of the ground or other feature at a specific […]