Louisiana Flood Season: Planning Pumps and Drainage for Your Home

Louisiana homeowners deal with heavy rain, hurricanes and river flooding. A sump or drainage pump can help with small amounts of water, but it is one part of a wider plan. This guide draws on LSU AgCenter material and is honest about what the sources do and do not say.

Start with your flood risk, not the pump

LSU AgCenter's hurricane and flood pages stress knowing your own risk first:

Estimate flood depth by subtracting your ground elevation from the forecast flood level at your location.
Your parish emergency manager is described as the best source for local flood forecasts.
AgCenter mapping sites show ground elevation anywhere in Louisiana and include Flood Insurance Rate Maps.
The AgCenter warns that effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps may understate risk.
National Weather Service forecasts from the Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center do not cover much of southeast Louisiana inside levee systems, and it is unknown whether gauge forecasts include storm surge.

In other words, a pump is sized for a problem you have defined. Define it first.

What the AgCenter recommends for the building

From the Louisiana Flood Awareness Week article:

Existing homes: install floodwalls to keep water out; if flooding recurs, consider elevating the home.
Appliances: raising washers and dryers is a quick way to prevent flood damage to them.
New construction: elevate the home one or two feet above the base flood elevation or the ground, and use flood-resilient materials.
Go bag: keep a bag with supplies, copies of personal documents, clothing and food needing no cooking, enough for about three days.

The AgCenter's LaHouse showcase home is open weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with information at lsuagcenter.com/LaHouse.

Where a pump fits

The sources above do not give pump sizing, sump design or drainage-code guidance, so this article does not invent any. Here is how pumps are generally discussed with suppliers, without numbers:

Sump or drainage pumps move small to moderate amounts of collected water away from a low spot, crawlspace or pit. They do not stop floodwater rising from outside.
Portable dewatering pumps are used after an event to remove standing water. Many homeowners rent these rather than buy.
Backup power matters because storms often cut electricity. Not verified: specific backup technologies and their run times. Ask a supplier.

A pump cannot overcome floodwater that is higher than the point where it discharges. Where water is coming from a river, surge or levee overtopping, evacuation guidance from your parish takes priority over any equipment.

Questions for a supplier or contractor

What water source am I dealing with: rain, groundwater, a drain backing up, or river flooding?
Where will the water be discharged, and is that allowed? Not verified: Louisiana or parish rules on discharge location; ask your parish.
What happens to the pump when the power goes out?
Is a rental better than a purchase for my situation?
Who installs, who services, and what is covered?

Electrical safety

Pumps, extension cords and standing water are a dangerous mix. Have a licensed electrician handle permanent wiring, outlets and any generator connection. Do not enter a flooded room with live power.

Insurance and paperwork

The AgCenter recommends gathering essential documents and making a family disaster plan. Flood damage is commonly handled separately from standard homeowner policies; Not verified: for Louisiana policies specifically, so read your own policy and speak with your agent. This article gives no insurance advice.

Common mistakes

Buying a pump before knowing where the water comes from.
Assuming a map shows the full risk.
Ignoring discharge location and electrical safety.
Waiting until a storm is forecast to find a rental or supplier.
Treating a pump as a replacement for evacuation plans.

What this guide does not cover

No Louisiana building code, parish ordinance or state permit rules were verified. Not verified: rainfall statistics, pump sizing and any state rule. Contact your parish office.

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General information only. Not legal, insurance or engineering advice. Have a qualified supplier, licensed electrician and your parish officials confirm what applies to your property.