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For Farmers and Ranchers
Preparing for a Flood Disaster

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When you’ve prepared your farm or ranch for a flood disaster, you’re in a much better position to respond quickly, confidently and safely.

Know the emergency warning system in your community.  When advised to evacuate, leave immediately.

General Preparations
Protecting Stored Grain
Protecting Agricultural Chemicals
Protecting Dairy Farms and Food Facilities
Protecting Seed, Feed and Manure
Protecting Underground Storage Tanks

General Preparations
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  Insurance

  • Ask your insurance agent about flood insurance. Homeowner policies do not cover flood damage.
  • Remember, flood insurance must be purchased 30 days prior to any flooding. 

  Have a Prevention Plan

  • Renew contacts with your County Emergency Director.
  • Renew contacts with local contractors, excavators and truckers
  • Consider moving inventories to higher ground.
  • If sandbagging is an option, plan where sandbags could best be deployed.
  • Stockpile emergency building materials including plywood, plastic sheeting, lumber, nails, hammers, saws, pry bars and shovels.
  • Use plugs to prevent flood waters from backing up in sewer drains.
  • Have battery-operated radios cell phones available.
  • Advance planning is necessary because safe, dry storage may be at a premium.

  Have an Emergency Response Plan

  • Update all emergency response telephone numbers.
  • Review with employees their responsibilities in the event of property flooding.
  • Have an accurate diagram of your facility filed with your local emergency responders.
  • Update current inventory of all petroleum, fertilizer, pesticide, seed, feed, grain and equipment.
  • Review property drainage patterns.
  • Where can protected measures best be installed to reduce flood water impacts?
  • Can flood waters be diverted away from property?
  • Locate main gas, anhydrous ammonia (NH3), and elec­trical shutoffs.
  • Have a contingency plan to move pesticide containers and other sensitive items to higher ground.
  • Have a complete inventory of personal protective equipment available to handle the chemicals in storage.
  • Protect records from water damage.

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Protecting Stored Grain
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  Grain Storage

  • Take proactive and protective action. Consider sandbagging and moving grain to unused bins that are less likely to flood. If flooding is inevitable, move grain to a safe location.
  • Grain that is threatened by flooding may be moved to sites that have not been pre-approved by examiners. Notify the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Ag Marketing Services Division that grain has been moved to temporary storage facilities once the transfer has taken place. Inspections of the temporary storage sites will be conducted after the fact to ensure that the grain has been safely and securely stored. Grain must be returned to an approved storage facility once the danger of flooding has passed.
  • Use a similar plan should be used for warehouses storing general merchandise.
  • The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Ag Marketing Services Division is available to help elevator managers arrange for suitable temporary storage and solve flooding problems on a case-by-case basis.

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Protecting Agricultural Chemicals
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  Anhydrous Ammonia Storage

  • Move nurse tanks and other ammonia equipment out of the flood zone.
  • Drain line and remove pumps and other system compo­nents.
  • Lock and protect tank valves.
  • Have plan to move product out and ship to terminal or other storage facility.
  • Turn power to ammonia system off when unattended.
  • Secure storage tanks to prevent movement or damage by flood waters.
  • Prominently display firm manager’s name and tele­phone number.

  Bulk Liquid Fertilizer or Pesticides

  • Lock and protect valves.
  • Close and lock site gauge valves on bulk fertilizer storage tanks.
  • Inventory all stored products.
  • Accelerate or postpone shipments.
  • Prominently display firm manager’s name and telephone number.
  • Spring road restrictions could limit the speed at which product can be removed.
  • All agricultural chemical bulk tanks should be anchored in some manner if empty.

  Small Packaged Pesticide Containers

  • Keep containers off the floor and secured.
  • Take an inventory or products.
  • Move grain fumigants to an area not within the flood zone.
  • Move products to an area protected from flood waters and away from drains.
  • Postpone incoming shipments.

  Waste Pesticides

  • Protect all pesticides including any unusable or unwanted herbicides, insecticides or other pesticides from rising water or other water damage.
  • Repackage or over-pack all paper bags to protect dry product from water damage.
  • Repackage or over-pack older containers, liquid products or containers in poor condition to protect from water damage.
  • Use rigid plastic or metal containers to repackage or over-pack containers.
  • Store pesticides damaged by water or otherwise rendered unusable for proper disposal. Do not throw pesticides into trash or dump onto ground.
  • Contact the waste pesticide collection program for information on the free disposal of damaged or unusable pesticides.

  Bulk Dry Fertilizer

  • Construct barriers at flood water entrances to prevent water from entering bins.
  • Delay shipments or temporarily move product to higher ground.
  • Spring road restrictions could limit the speed at which product can be removed.

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Protecting Dairy Farms and Food Facilities
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  Dairy Farms

  • Contact your dairy plant for additional milk storage.
  • Secure adequate feed supplies.
  • Relocate feed supplies to protect from flooding.
  • Protect well from floodwater or secure an alternate supply of safe water.
  • Are standby generators available?
  • Remove deep snow. A foot of snow is the equivalent of one to two inches of water. This will reduce snowmelt.
  • Pile snow strategically. Locate piles so the snowmelt will drain away from the lot rather than through it.
  • Divert drainage. Add shallow diversion ditches so the runoff water flows around the cow yard.
  • Manage roof runoff. A shallow trench or ditch beneath the overhang can help direct this water out of the yard.

  Food and  Dairy Processing Plants, Grocery Stores and     Warehouses

  • Update all emergency telephone numbers.
  • Check your flood insurance.
  • Keep employees informed of all plans and review their responsibilities.
  • Can floodwater be diverted from facility?
  • Contact your contractor.
  • Remove products and supplies from below-ground storage.
  • Are alternate storage facilities available?
  • Locate main gas and electrical shutoffs.
  • Protect records from water damage.
  • Use plugs to prevent floodwater from backing up in sewer drain.
  • Are cellular phones and battery-operated radios available?
  • Contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Dairy & Food Inspection Division at (651) 201-6027.

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Protecting Seed, Feed, and Manure
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  Seed

  • Store seed off the ground and in an area not prone to flooding.
  • Dike or sandbag bins.
  • Remove seed from flood-prone areas.
  • Spring road restrictions could limit the speed at which seed can be removed.
  • Anticipate a high demand for early maturity varieties which could mean higher prices and shortages.
  • Identify potential alternative suppliers of seed.
  • Consider keeping a copy of the labeling and an un­opened seed container from each lot. This is a good way to preserve evidence in case a performance problem with the seed occurs.

  Feed

  • Store drugs for animal feed off the ground/floor in an area not prone to flooding.
  • Move manufactured feed out of flood zone.
  • Spring road restrictions could limit the speed at which feed can be removed.
  • Delay shipments or receipt of drugs and feeds.

  Livestock Producers and Custom Manure Applicators

  • Immediately remove manure stockpiles from floodplains.
  • To reduce the potential for manure contamination to state waters, contact the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) at 800-657-3864 or the MPCA Detroit Lakes Office directly at 218-847-1519 and your local County Feedlot Officer/s (CFOs) if your manure storage facility has the potential to overflow.
  • If your manure storage facility overflows, you must contact the Minnesota Duty Officer at (800) 422-0798.
  • Reduce the amount of clean water runoff entering manure storage structures by diverting roof and driveway runoff or by modifying facilities to eliminate feedlot runoff (i.e., total confinement).
  • Although winter manure application is normally discouraged, consider winter manure applications to remove manure from facilities threatened by floodwaters or in danger of overflowing. When applying manure consider slopes less than 6 percent maintain a 300 foot setback from sensitive features and avoid floodplains.
  • Consider hiring a commercial applicator if you do not have suitable equipment or time.
  • If your site has a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the MPCA and you are considering land application, call the MPCA directly for further information as there are additional restrictions on land application.
  • Consider applying manure on crops that normally do not receive manure. For example, apply manure on fields going into soybeans, alfalfa, or apply on pasture.
  • Producers should consider temporary stockpiles outside flood areas or storing manure in other liquid manure storage outside areas that may be affected by floodwaters or in danger of overflowing.
  • Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), University of Minnesota Extension service or MPCA for more information on allowable manure application rates and suggestions for the best ways to reduce the risk of pollution from spring flooding.

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Protecting Underground Storage Tanks

To keep underground storage tanks from pushing above ground and prevent water from entering the system during a flood, anchor the tank, secure all openings, and keep the tank full.

What to do if flooding threatens an underground storage tank

If you have not properly anchored your tank and if floodwaters or rising ground water threaten your underground storage tank system, follow these steps to keep the tank in the ground and prevent water from entering the system:

  • Keep the tank full of product. This will add weight to the tank so it will not float out of the ground. Do not fill the tank with water; if you do, you will have to properly dispose of the water later, and disposal of contaminated water can be very expensive.
  • Secure all the openings on top of the tank. Make sure the fill caps are in good condition and fastened securely in place. Also, check the seal on the plungers in the spill buckets so water cannot get into the tank.
  • Pressurized piping systems have shear valves. Close or “trip” the shear valve. This will prevent product from getting out of the pipelines if debris floats by and knocks over a dispenser.
  • Turn off the electricity to the UST system. This includes power to the dispensers, pumps, lighting and any other system components.

tank_bouyancy

Figure 1. Tanks are typically buried 3 to 4 feet below finished grade to provide adequate slope for piping and protection from traffic loads. Except in areas with high water tables or areas subject to flooding, the weight of the backfill and pavement over the tank is sufficient to offset buoyancy and prevent flotation.

What to do if a tank floats out of its excavation

If your tank was not anchored when it was installed, it may float out of its excavation. If so, follow these steps:

  • If there is any evidence of spilled product, call the Minnesota Duty Officer at 800-422-0798 or 651-649-5451. The Duty Officer will inform Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Emergency Response of the spill.
  • Call your local fire department.
  • Turn off any power in the vicinity of the tank(s) and piping. If any power lines are down in the area around the tank(s), call the power company immediately.
  • Rope off the area and keep people away from the hole in the ground.
  • If you tank has not floated away, empty it of all product.
  • Call a certified tank removal contractor to remove the piping and tank properly.
  • Call the MPCA’s Tank Compliance and Enforcement Unit at 651-296-6300 or 1-800-657-3864 for information about tank removal, reinstallation or replacement; or potential assistance.

What to do if the system is submerged by floodwater or subject to abnormally high ground water  

In some instances, tanks pop right out of the ground, but in other instances, the tank and piping system may shift in the ground, threatening the integrity of the storage system. If your system becomes submerged by floodwater or if it is subject to abnormally high ground water, follow these steps when the floodwater or ground water has receded:

  • Turn off the power (electricity) to any UST related equipment before beginning any investigation. This includes the power to the dispensers, pumps, release detection equipment, and other devices.
  • Remove water from the sump(s) under the dispensers and above the tanks. Sumps at USTs are commonly located around the fill pipe and the submersible pump. Inspect the piping and fittings for damage and possible leaks.
  • Test the leak detection system on your tanks and piping. If no leak detection system has been installed, run tightness tests to ensure the integrity of the entire system.
  • Use water finding paste on the end of your gauge stick to determine whether water has entered the tank. If it has not, the UST system is probably intact and further investigation is not needed. Continue to keep good inventory records so that product loss will be easy to identify should a leak occur; good records are essential whether you have a flood or not.
  • If there is water in the tank, try to determine its source. Water may have entered through a loose fitting on top of the tank or the UST may have shifted in the ground, damaging the tank, piping or both. Testing of the piping and tank is required if you are unable to determine how water entered the system.
  • If the tank has a cathodic protection system, test it to make sure it is still operating properly.

If You Must Re-Install the Tank, Consider These Restraining Methods

There are three main methods of restraint that will prevent a tank from floating because of flooding or a high water table:

  • Increase the burial depth and/or amount of pavement above the tank. The extra weight of the backfill and pavement is often enough to keep the tank from floating. Note that the maximum burial depth for fiberglass tanks is seven feet. The burial depth should not exceed the manufacturer’s recommendation.
  • Use a hold-down pad. This is a cement pad placed underneath the tank. (See Figure 2.)
  • Use deadman anchors. Deadman anchors are beams of reinforced concrete that are placed along the sides of a tank. Extending straps are placed over the tank and attached to the anchors. (See Figure 3.)

tank_reinforcing
Figure 2. A reinforced bottom hold-down pad provides a firm bed for the tank and adds resistance to flotation.

tank_anchoring

Figure 3. Deadman anchors increase the amount of backfill bearing down on the tank to offset buoyancy.

For More Information

Visit www.pca.state.mn.us/cleanup/ust.html  The Web site has forms, fact sheets, and other information about USTs and UST requirements. Or call the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at 651-296-6300 or 1-800-657-3864.

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