Flood Control
Flood Control Functions
The Flood Control Section is responsible for the maintenance of
existing stormwater drainage facilities, construction of new district
facilities, flood warning, hydrologic data collection and assuring
private development projects meet flood Control objectives and
compliance with Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA)
guidelines. It provides staff support for the Flood Control
Commission, drafts and reviews state and local
regulations and
provides FEMA and County Flood Plain Map information, technical
reports, public and private land development studies and standards for
support of private development. It also receives drainage complaints
and provides information and appropriate action(s).
DPW Flood Control is supported by the:
- Flood Control District
- Flood Control District Advisory Commission Public Meetings and Info
- Flood Control District Contact Numbers
Flood Control is responsible for maintenance of stormwater drainage facilities, developing and reviewing hydrologic and hydraulic studies and associated mapping, and ensuring compliance with sound floodplain management criteria aimed at reducing flood risk. Flood Control is also responsible for flood warning and rainfall data collection.
- Introduction to Floodplain Management
- Drainage System Maintenance
- Local Flood Hazards
- Flood Hazards Mapping
- Private vs. Public Drainage
- Special Drainage Areas
- Community Rating
System
Project Issue Resolution Conference:
For land development projects processed through Planning & Development Services, a Project Issue Resolution (PIR) Conference is a meeting that includes an applicant, our Executive Management team, and County Project Staff to discuss issues and identify solutions that were not able to be resolved with a County Project Manager due to interpretations of a code or other unique circumstances related to a project. The County is committed to helping customers navigate the land use permit process and ensuring customer satisfaction. The County recognizes land development can be complex and each project is unique. The goal of the PIR process is to help facilitate processing of each permit application in an efficient and timely manner by elevating technical project issues to our Executive Management team. For more information, please see the PDS page.
Technical Manuals:
These documents provide guidelines on engineering design of your project.
- Hydrology Manual
- Hydraulic Design
Manual
If proposed project involves complex modeling (i.e. HEC-RAS analysis) Flood Control District staff is available to meet to discuss appropriate parameter selection and other technical considerations.
Regulations, Ordinances, Requirements:
- County of San Diego Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance
- Additional Requirements for Certification of
Design of Flood Openings and Flood Proofing of Non-Residential
Construction
- Guidance For Development within the FEMA
Floodplain in Borrego Valley
- Code of Federal Regulations, Title 44
- Note: FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has
suspended initiation of Letters of Map Revision Based on Fill
(LOMR-F) and Conditional Letters of Map Revision Based on Fill
(CLOMR-F) cases in San Diego and five other counties effective
August 14, 2020. Read more here or download the fact sheet.
Floodplain information:
- Floodplain Development Regulations and Permitting
- Natural and Beneficial Functions of Floodplains
- Flood Insurance Information
FEMA Information:
- FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Map Revisions
- FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
- A community’s flood risk changes over time and updating flood maps help protect lives and property. You can see these preliminary flood insurance rate maps here. For details on the new maps within the County of San Diego or how to appeal them, contact Flood Control at (858) 495-5318.
Hazard Mitigation Information:
Flyers:
- Flood Insurance: Protect Your Future
- Flood Map Information Services
-
Flood Protection for Your Home or
Business
- Guidelines for Flood Protection of Structures in Borrego Springs
- How to Select a Contractor for Your Flood Protection Project
- Protect Your Property Against Flooding
Resources:
- No-rise Certificate
- Flood
Warning
Flood Warning uses a network of automated rain, stream, reservoir and weather stations known as the ALERT Flood Warning System. Weather changes are reported in real-time to our Kearny Mesa office. - San Diego Flood Warning
System
The San Diego County Flood Warning System is made up of 120 raingages, streamgages, weather stations, and lake level stations that report data in real time to the Flood Control Weather Center in Kearny Mesa. The system is internet-based and each of its sensors has defined alarms, that when activated, are used by the flood warning system to automatically assemble a warning message and send it out to the appropriate emergency managers by email or cell phone. The website has numerous links that allow the user to view and download the sensor data, view updating graphs and maps, and access other weather-related resources. - San Diego
Geographic Information Source (SanGIS)
SanGIS and SANDAG provide free public access to over 250 data layers in their joint Regional Data Warehouse. SanGIS also provides interactive maps, data extracts, and custom mapping services. - Protecting Your Property from Flood Damage
- Disaster Do’s and Don’ts
- Average Annual Rainfall Map
The average annual rainfall map is a detailed rain map depicting the 30-year rainfall average in San Diego County. 30-year station rainfall averages from numerous locations in San Diego were plugged into a complex rainfall/terrain model developed by SDSU that accurately models the 30-year average rainfall as affected by changes in terrain elevation. - Web Cams
Webcams are located at key high-traffic low water crossings that are subject to frequent flooding. The cameras produce streaming video that are used to determine crossing safety, identify road damage and debris on the road, and verify that signals and barriers are in place during flooding events. These cameras are viewable by the public.
Quick Links:
Meeting to discuss FEMA or County mapped floodplain on private property within the unincorporated area of the County. If the appointment is in relation to a Land Development project in process, a meeting should be scheduled directly with the PDS Project Manager.
DPW wants you to be prepared for the Rainy Season. Useful information is available here: