Preparing for a flood

Information during floods

• If you have just moved in, ask your neighbours how flooding affects your area. Your garden may get flooded but not your house.
• Sign up for the Government flood warning service here.
• South Oxford Flood Action Group aims to provide news during flood events and act as a link between residents and key agencies like the City council and the Environment Agency. Our WhatsApp group 'South Oxford Flooding Support' provides news updates during periods of flooding. If you want to be added to the group contact us at: southoxfordfloodaction@gmail.com.

What to do in a flood

It is good to make a personal plan for what to do if there is a flood - depending on how flooding affects your property and access to your house. You may want to:

• move vulnerable items out of reach of flood water, including in your garden or garage;
• make sure you know how to turn off gas and electricity;
• have tall wellies at hand;
• torches and power banks are useful if there are power cuts;
• if you have a sump pump, ensure it is working properly;
• if you have flood barriers, consider mounting these;
• find somewhere to move your vehicle if closed roads stop you getting to work, vulnerable relatives etc - in the past there has been free parking at the Redbridge Park and Ride car park.

Making your home more resilient

Flood resilience means making alterations to your house so flood damage is reduced. There are lots of options, some of which are listed here. You should seek professional advice on what is suitable and get a quote for costs. SOFLAG may be able to put you in touch with people in our area who have experience of implementing these options. It is important when deciding to know what sort of flooding affects your house - is it water flowing overland from a river, or groundwater rising up from below, or both?:

River flooding

• install a flood door and the fittings on patio doors for demountable flood barriers;
• repoint brickwork to fill gaps or cracks and fill holes for cables (e.g. for internet wiring) with silicone;
• install self-closing airbricks and air vent protectors;
• move air vents above likely flood levels.

Groundwater flooding

• install non-return valves in wastewater pipes;
• install a waterproof membrane;
• construct a sump and install a pump to remove water that does enter your property;
• make sure electrics under your floor boards are not vulnerable.

River and groundwater flooding

• move sockets and wiring well above ground or basement floor level;
• install stone or tile floors at ground or basement level and were necessary use waterproof plaster;
• raise domestic appliances on platforms;
• in areas affected by flooding, install solid wood or removeable doors.

Remember always store important documents and valuable items in a safe, dry place.

A property which is resilient will be easier to clear up and cost less to repair after flooding. Your life can return to normal more quickly. For more helpful advice see the Flood Mary web site.

Flood resilient gardens

Many gardens in South Oxford will be temporarily inundated with water during floods. Advice from local residents on the type of plants that are resilient to these conditions can be found in the following video on our YouTube site. A second video taken at the Flood Resilient Garden at Howbery Park in Wallingford provides further insights for planting in flood-prone gardens.