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Flood Emergency Response

Floodwater is more dangerous than it looks. This guide covers farm planning in general terms and points you to the National Weather Service and emergency managers.

What should I do when a flood warning is issued?

Listen to the National Weather Service and your county emergency management office. Know the difference between a watch and a warning in your area, and follow any instruction to move to higher ground or leave.

Move people first. Call 911 if anyone is in immediate danger. Do not wait until water is on the road to make a decision, since roads can disappear quickly.

Keep a battery powered radio and a charged phone, since power and towers can fail. Check on neighbors who live alone, and share the plan with relatives who live elsewhere so someone knows your intentions.

Why is floodwater so dangerous?

Moving water can be stronger than people expect, and it can hide washed out roads, ditches, debris and electrical hazards. Floodwater on a farm can also carry manure, fuel, fertilizer and pesticides.

Safety agencies advise people not to walk, drive or work in floodwater. The National Weather Service and the Red Cross publish their messages. Use those as your guide for specific actions.

Fast moving water can wash out culverts and bridges that you drive across every day. If a road is covered, treat it as closed, and ask your county road office which crossings on your routes flood first.

• Do not walk or drive into floodwater
• Stay away from downed power lines
• Assume water may be contaminated
• Do not enter flooded buildings or pits

How should we plan evacuation?

Choose at least two routes that stay passable in high water and decide a meeting place. Agree on when you will leave, and who will take children, elders and anyone who needs help.

Pack a bag with medications, documents and supplies. Keep fuel in vehicles and phones charged ahead of storms when you can.

Write down the meeting place and the second route on a card for each vehicle. Teach older children to follow the plan if they are separated from you.

What about animals, feed and chemicals?

Think about where animals could go in advance, and how you would move them early if time allows. Do not risk lives to move animals once water is rising.

Fuel, fertilizer and pesticide storage can become a hazard if tanks float or leak. Talk with your extension office, state agriculture department and the EPA's pesticide pages about securing and reporting releases. Do not mix or handle spilled products without guidance.

Ask your veterinarian and your livestock association about local sheltering or holding sites, and keep identification and health records somewhere you can grab them. Do not drive animals through moving water.

How do I stay safe around power and equipment?

Electric hazards increase in floods. Do not touch wet equipment or panels. Ask your utility and a qualified electrician how to shut off power safely and when it is safe to restore it.

Generators should be used only as the manufacturer directs and never indoors. Carbon monoxide can build up where you cannot see or smell it.

Never wade through water to reach a generator, a breaker box or a barn. Turn off power only if you can do so from a dry spot without touching wet equipment, and otherwise call your utility.

What do I do after the water goes down?

Wait for officials to say the area is safe. Photograph damage, contact your insurer, and keep records. Flooded wells, grain and feed may need testing or disposal, so ask your local health department and extension office.

Farmers.gov and your local USDA service center list disaster programs, but dates and eligibility change, so confirm directly.

Standing water can breed mold, and wells may be contaminated. Ask your local health department how to test a private well, and check with your extension office about flooded stored grain and feed.

How do we cope with the loss and stress?

Floods can bring hard decisions and financial worry. Be patient with yourself and others, and ask for help. If you or someone you know is struggling, in the US you can call or text 988, and in an emergency call 911.

Share what you are going through with a friend or family member, and make time for rest and meals. Others in your community are dealing with the same strain, and asking for help is a sign of strength.

Local farm support organizations, faith groups and your extension office may offer people to talk with, and some can help you navigate paperwork. Ask them what is available near you.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.