Spring Water Troubles
Now that Spring is finally making an effort to appear, we should keep an eye on the groundwater. With all the snow we got this year combined with all the rain recently, there may be some flooding in our near future. The underground watertable normally rises this time of year which is one of the reasons people get water leaking into their basements. Cracks in your foundation or insufficient waterproofing will become readily apparent.
Spring is a good time to inspect your house for any water issues. Sometimes water leaks in your house because your gutters and downspouts are not directing the rainwater away from your house or they may simply be clogged. Ice jams on the roof from a long cold winter may have damaged the roof or siding of the house. Also, now that the snow is melting, inspect the soil around your foundation for soft areas and re-grade or compact the soil if necessary. It is so important to lead the water away from your house.
The U.S. Geological Survey has some interesting reports – one of them is a Real-Time streamflow so you can see if your area is in danger of flooding.
Check it out at USGS WaterWatch
It will tell you if your area is below normal, at normal or above normal stream flows compared to historical data for same day of the year.
