The risk of living next to a body of water is obvious and should be considered when buying or building. Where the risk isn’t obvious is on drier ground, where there is no watercourse within several miles of the house. That seems to be more of an issue at times such as this. If you live in a house in an area where the water table is high, you either forgo a basement or build a whole series of safeguards into the cellar to keep it and whatever you are storing there dry.