MyCoast: Maryland

Your questions answered.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

You should use MyCoast if you have witnessed nuisance or sunny day flooding, precipitation based flooding, or storm damage. MyCoast can also be used as a resource to understand tidal data and better predict when high tides may impact your area. You can also view other reports to see what is going on in other communities.

A profile is necessary so that we can contact you with questions if we have any about your photos and the severity of damage. We do not post names, and your profile will be kept public.

Staff at the Maryland DNR use the reports of flooding and damage to understand where weather and climate related events are happening, and what are the severity of impacts.

Yes! With each report you can submit multiple photos, and there is no limit to how many reports you can submit.

At this time video footage of events is not accepted.

The entire state of Maryland is impacted by precipitation (rain) based flooding and storm damage, and the coastal zone also faces increasing nuisance flooding impacts due to sea level rise. Anyone in the state of Maryland can submit photos on the MyCoast app.

Climate change is anticipated to cause changes to our precipitation and more frequent and severe storm events, including both rain events and coastal storms. The size and frequency of floods will increase as annual precipitation increases. Drought-like conditions may also occur more frequently due to changes in precipitation patterns.

The tide influences many outdoor activities, including boating, hiking, fishing, beach going, and wildlife watching. Knowing your local tides helps you maximize your fun and stay safe. In many places, tides can impact roads, homes, and businesses. Being tide smart will empower you to stay safe and have fun.

For more information about tides and water levels, you can explore these resources.

Nuisance Flooding is commonly known as high tide or sunny day flooding and is coastal flooding that occurs at high tide and interrupts day to day activities leading to a public inconvenience such as road closures, and overwhelmed storm drains. These floods are not driven by rain or storms and can strike without a cloud in the sky! A combination of sea level rise and land subsidence is leading to more frequent tidal nuisance flood events in our coastal communities.

Sea level rise is already impacting Maryland, which means that tides are higher and lasting for longer time periods than they have in the past. This is leading to more nuisance flood days, unpredictability, and increasing damage. Climate change is also impacting storm frequency and intensity, and there are heavier rain downfalls. This means there may be greater flooding and storm damage, and less time to react to events.

Using the MyCoast app helps your community reduce flooding by communicating damage with coastal resilience experts in the state. Behind the scenes we use your photos and reports to analyze changes in predicted outcomes. You can encourage others to download the MyCoast app, and to attend community events related to flood awareness. You can also apply for grant opportunities to increase coastal resilience in your community through grants gateway. You can also check out a new tool called Reduce Flood Risk that walks home owners and community members through a quiz to help you identify ways to reduce flooding on your property.