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

Madison's BestOctober 13

Practice Shelf-Care at the Wisconsin Book Festival

Discover your next great read at the 25th annual Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration, Oct. 15-18. Enjoy free author events for all a...

A group of people browse a table of books in a bright sunlit space.
Madison's BestOctober 8

Your Favorite Spots To Meet Your Neighbors in Madison

City Cast Madison Neighbors share their favorite places in Madison.

Rolling green hills with wildflowers.
Madison, ExplainedOctober 7

UW-Madison Professor Receives Nobel Prize in Physics

Discover the backstory behind UW-Madison professor Francis Halzen's Nobel Prize in physics for pioneering the IceCube Neutrino Observator...

An observatory at the South Pole. A metal structure sits on a desolate landscape with the cosmos above it.
Madison's BestOctober 5

Where To Get Scared in Madison for Spooky Season

Looking for a scare this October in Madison? From horror movies to haunted forests and eerie ghost tours, here is your ultimate guide to...

A poster for "Jeckyll & Hyde" - a ballet dancer in black leaps in front of a foggy, London background.
Food & DrinkOctober 1

The Best Fall Drinks To Try in Madison

Looking for the perfect pumpkin spice or autumnal drink? Here is your guide to the best coffee shops and bars serving special fall bevera...

A group of multi-colored cocktails sit on a wooden bar.
Madison's BestOctober 1

What To Do in Madison in October 2026

Plan your perfect October 2026 in Madison! Check out the 25th Wisconsin Book Festival, cheer on the Badgers, tour haunted spots, and find...

City Cast Madison’s Hayley Sperling, Bianca Martin, Rob Thomas, and Jade Iseri-Ramos stand in front of a wooden arch-shaped bookcase that is holding books that will be featured at the Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration.
Neighborhood GuidesSeptember 29

Browse the Imagination Center, Madison’s Newest Library

Explore Madison's new Imagination Center at Reindahl Park—the city's first public library in 26 years. Take a virtual tour of this vibran...

The outside of the Imagination Center. A blue tiled buildiing with a sign that read "Library."
Madison, ExplainedSeptember 28

What To Know About The Proposed BECI Transmission Line

The 190-mile BECI high-voltage transmission line aims to secure Wisconsin’s grid, but locals and the Dane County Board are demanding dela...

Two large electric towers stand next to a white house.