Water Damage Restoration in Northampton, PA — What You Need to Know

Northampton Borough sits along the Lehigh River in central Northampton County, and its riverfront sections are in FEMA-designated flood zones. The Lehigh River at Northampton has crested its banks multiple times in recorded history, and the 2006 and 2011 flood events caused significant property damage in the lower-lying portions of the borough adjacent to the river. Properties in Northampton within the mapped SFHA should carry NFIP flood insurance; federally backed mortgage requirements make this obligatory for properties in the SFHA.

Hokendauqua Creek flows through the eastern portion of the borough, creating a secondary flood-risk corridor in addition to the Lehigh River. Properties near Hokendauqua Creek have experienced localized flooding during storm events when the creek rises rapidly from storm runoff in its upper watershed. Check the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for your parcel’s specific designation if you are near either waterway.

Northampton’s working-class residential neighborhoods — built primarily during the steel and slate industry era of the early 20th century — have housing stock with the vulnerabilities typical of their age: aging plumbing, older basement waterproofing, and sewer laterals that have been in the ground for 60–80 years and are subject to root intrusion and structural deterioration. The combination of river proximity and aging infrastructure makes Northampton Borough one of the more water-damage-frequent communities in the Lehigh Valley service area.