City Cast Madison logo

What To Do About Flooding

Posted on July 17, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Ava Wojnowski

Ava Wojnowski

A dock in Madison under water.

Many docks on Madison’s lakes have been damaged due to the higher levels of water. (Driftlessstudio / Getty Images)

With all of the storms and rain Madison has been getting, flooding is on the mind. While the lakes around the city are beautiful, they can also play a large role in housing damages when spring and summer storms come around. The lakes are the highest they have been since 2020 and some are close to going over the edge. Here are some ways to keep your home safe from flooding.

  • When it comes to your gutters, make sure leaves and debris are properly cleared out.
  • Make sure your downspout is not aimed toward your house’s foundation. Better yet, get a rain barrel!
  • Make sure windows and foundation are properly patched up and that there is no possible way for water to get inside.
  • When it comes to landscaping around your home, make sure work is done slanted away from your home.
  • Make sure the storm drains on the street are clear and allow for proper drainage.
  • Keep an eye on lake levels.
  • Install a sump pump, preferably one with a backup battery. This device will help move built-up water, usually near basements, outside of a house.
  • You can also install a sanitary sewer backflow preventer. This acts as a backup to your main sewage line, in case one becomes overloaded.
  • Another option is installing a rain garden, which can help limit stormwater runoff.
Report Flooding Here

Share article

Hey Madison

Sign up for your free daily toolkit to get the most of the city you love.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Urban Almanac

See All
Urban AlmanacJune 11, 2025

When Is It Safe to Swim in Madison’s Lakes?

Summer is here and it's time to take a swim! But there are a few things to keep in mind before diving into one of Madison's lakes.

Two people swimming in a lake during sunrise.
Urban AlmanacMay 28, 2025

How To Keep Madison’s Wild Baby Bunnies Safe

The Dane County Humane Society’s Wildlife Center is receiving a lot of calls about Eastern Cottontail rabbits as people are finding more...

Gray Eastern Cottontail bunnies in a nest.
Urban AlmanacMarch 31, 2025

How To Take Care of Indoor Plants This Spring

Are you wondering how to take care of your indoor plants this Spring? Or thinking of getting some new ones? We dive into plant ideas and...

Collection of monstera and other indoor plants under a warm lamp taken from above
Urban AlmanacOctober 9, 2024

How a New Tool Helps Reunite Pets With Their Owners

A new Madison Police Department microchip scanner will help pet owners reunite with their lost dogs and cats.

Two women hold a bulldog and an electronic device.
Urban AlmanacOctober 2, 2024

Take a Break From the Rake!

Fall is here! Soon, you’ll be serenaded by the sound of your neighbor’s leaf blower, and wonder if it’s time to get out your own, or a ra...

The feet of a woman in a blue coat kick leaves in the forest.
Urban AlmanacSeptember 25, 2024

Why the Cows Come Home To the World Dairy Expo

The cows come home to Madison next week as the World Dairy Expo returns to the Alliant Energy Center Oct. 1 to Oct. 4. You might have hea...

A group of cows line up in a stadium on a green floor.
Urban AlmanacSeptember 18, 2024

Hang Out At Madison’s New Lakefront Porch Park

A lot of people passed by the Madison Water Utility reservoir at 201 S. Hancock St. and just saw concrete. But others saw an opportunity...

Tables and chairs sit on a wooden outdoor platform.
Urban AlmanacSeptember 11, 2024

A Sheep Way To Help Solar Projects

It’s a farm friendship as unlikely and fruitful as Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig – sheep and solar panels. Solar array projects...

Sheep graze in a field next to solar panels.

The latest in Madison

Food & DrinkJune 11

Where to Watch the World Cup in Madison

The 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament kicks off today, and Madison soccer fans are ready. Here's where to watch the matches, including bars...

A man in purple cheers surrounded by fans in bleachers.
Madison's BestJune 10

How to Celebrate Pride Month 2026 in Madison

The city’s biggest LGBTQ+ gathering, OutReach Magic Pride Festival, isn’t actually until August, but there are still plenty of ways to ce...

A group of 6 people sit on a bench smiling, looking on at the Middleton Pride Festival
Madison's BestJune 3

Your Guide to Frank Lloyd Wright's Madison

Legendary designer Frank Lloyd Wright called Madison home and he left his mark on the city. Here's some of his most famous buildings, fro...

A building with glass windows and a triangular roof.
Madison's BestJune 2

Your Guide to June 2026 in Madison

If you’re looking for a page-turner to take to the beach this summer, UW-Madison graduate Joseph Eckert is coming back to town to Lake Ci...

A group of people at tables in front of a marble building.
Madison's BestJune 1

How Madison’s Capital City Theatre is Reinventing ‘RENT’

Madison's Capital City Theatre is putting on a bold new version of the Tony-winning musical 'RENT' at the Orpheum Theater June 5-7. For i...

A woman gestures to several other people in a room.
Food & DrinkMay 28

Madison's Best New Restaurants

This month's list of new restaurants include a new coffee shop on Winnebago Street, an ice cream shop coming to downtown Sun Prairie and...

A building with an orange outline of two palm trees on the side.
Madison, ExplainedMay 18

How Smart Studios Put Madison on the Musical Map

Why did Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Death Cab for Cutie and other bands want to record songs in Madison? As a new documentary explains, S...

A two-story red brick building on a street.
Food & DrinkMay 14

These Madison Butcher Shops Are a Cut Above

With summer coming up, you might want to stock up for the next cookout. Here are some of Madison's favorite butcher shops, from Meat Peop...

A man in glasses peers at a stack of hamburger patties.