Flood Services

Causes of Flooding

Flooding is caused when rising water in rivers and streams leave their banks during heavy storms, snow melt, or ice jams along places like the Clinton River, Red Run Drain, Plumbrook Drain, and Beaver Creek. Your property may be high enough that it was not flooded but it can still be flooded in the future because the next flood could be worse. If your property is in the floodplain, chances are that someday it will be damaged by flood.

Determining Flood Plains

The first thing you should do is check your flood hazard. Flood maps are available at the Sterling Heights Public Library and the Office of Engineering along with being a layer on the GIS map. You can also call the Office of Engineering at 586-446-2720 to see if you are in a mapped floodplain. If so, they can give you more information such as past flood problems in the area and copies of elevation certificates on buildings built in the floodplain.

What You Can Do

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

• Do not dump or throw anything into ditches or streams.
• Dumping in our ditches and streams is a violation. 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.
• Always check with the Office of Building Services before you build on, alter, regrade, or fill on your property. A permit may be needed to ensure that projects do not cause problems on other properties.
• If you see filling without a city permit, contact the Office of Engineering at 586-446-2720.
• Check out the following information on flood insurance and flood safety.