East Canarsie & Starrett City Flood Exposure · NYC DEP Separate Storm Sewer Area
East Canarsie & Starrett City, Brooklyn - MS4 Area
Properties here drain through separate storm sewers: rain runs in its own pipes straight to Fresh Creek and Hendrix Creek, apart from the sewage. When a storm drops rain faster than the catch basins can take it in, the water collects on streets and low lots instead. Here’s what that looks like for East Canarsie & Starrett City, Brooklyn specifically.
5,116 properties in East Canarsie & Starrett City, Brooklyn drain through separate storm sewers to Fresh Creek and Hendrix Creek, which open onto Jamaica Bay. Flood Form rates 48% of them Moderate or High for stormwater, 20% for sewer backup, 79% for groundwater, and 66% for coastal flooding. 93% of lots have yard area that legally qualifies for on-site infiltration. The ground is fairly level here, typically about 10 ft. The median building dates to 1960. 5% of parcels sit over a historic stream or pond. Their runoff reaches the water through 10 NYC DEP storm sewer outfalls.
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Flood exposure in East Canarsie & Starrett City (Fresh Creek & Hendrix Creek)
The share of properties Flood Form rates Moderate or High for each type of flooding, on the same Minimal to High scale as an individual report.
48%
Stormwater exposure: Moderate or High
20%
Sewer Backup exposure: Moderate or High
79%
Groundwater exposure: Moderate or High
66%
Coastal exposure: Moderate or High
What sets East Canarsie & Starrett City (Fresh Creek & Hendrix Creek) apart
The three figures on which this area differs most from the rest of NYC’s separate storm sewer areas.
93.1%
Legally eligible for on-site infiltration
Higher than 95% of NYC's separate storm sewer areas. More yards here have room to soak stormwater in.
66%
Properties with Moderate or High coastal exposure
Higher than 80% of NYC's separate storm sewer areas. More lots here are within reach of tides and storm surge.
9 ft
Elevation change from low to high ground
Flatter than 80% of NYC's separate storm sewer areas. Level ground, so runoff stays close to where it falls.
Stats computed from Flood Form’s NYC parcel data as of October 28, 2026
Where East Canarsie & Starrett City’s storm sewers drain
The waters NYC DEP maps this area’s storm sewer outfalls to, by number of properties.
2,832
Fresh Creek Basin
1,575
Jamaica Bay
370
Old Mill Creek
193
Hendrix Creek
114
Fresh Creek
32
Spring Creek and Tributaries
Common solutions for East Canarsie & Starrett City properties
The measures that most often suit conditions here. An individual Flood Form picks the exact set for one lot. See all flood prevention solutions.
Downspout Diversion
Redirect roof downspouts away from the sewer system toward permeable yard areas, planters, or a rain barrel.
Complexity: Low · 1–4 weeks
Modular Drywell System
An NDS Flo-Well modular drywell system lets water soak into the ground on-site.
Complexity: Moderate · 1–3 weeks
Rain Garden
A shallow planted depression that collects runoff from roofs and paved areas and lets it soak into the ground over a day or two.
Complexity: Low · 1–3 weeks
Foundation Waterproofing
Exterior membrane waterproofing, interior footing drains, or crystalline waterproofing compounds address hydrostatic pressure against the foundation, depending on construction type.
Complexity: High · 3–6 months
Sump Pump
A sump pump with battery backup actively removes water that accumulates in below-grade spaces during groundwater rise or sewer surcharge events.
Complexity: Low · 1–4 weeks
Raised Threshold
Raising a doorway threshold with a concrete step or raised sill keeps shallow surface water from entering at ground-level and below-grade doors.
Complexity: Low · 1–2 weeks
Which of these fit your lot?
Your Flood Form rates your property’s exposure and recommends the measures suited to it.
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Questions about flooding in East Canarsie & Starrett City (Fresh Creek & Hendrix Creek)
What does it mean that East Canarsie & Starrett City has separate storm sewers?
This part of East Canarsie & Starrett City, Brooklyn is served by a separate storm sewer system, which NYC DEP calls an MS4. Catch basins and roof drains carry rain in their own pipes straight to Fresh Creek and Hendrix Creek, which open onto Jamaica Bay, while wastewater flows in another pipe to a treatment plant. Because rain doesn't share a pipe with sewage here, a storm is less likely to push sewage back into basements than in combined-sewer neighborhoods, though a blocked or undersized house sewer line can still back up. Flooding here mostly comes from runoff the storm drains can't take in fast enough, and from groundwater and tides.
How exposed to flooding is East Canarsie & Starrett City (Fresh Creek & Hendrix Creek)?
The most widespread exposure in East Canarsie & Starrett City is groundwater: Flood Form rates 79% of properties Moderate or High for it. The share is 48% for stormwater, 20% for sewer backup and 66% for coastal flooding. These figures describe the whole area, and exposure varies lot by lot within it.
Can properties in East Canarsie & Starrett City (Fresh Creek & Hendrix Creek) manage stormwater on site?
93% of lots in East Canarsie & Starrett City have yard area that legally qualifies for on-site infiltration, such as a drywell or rain garden. A lot without that room can still hold runoff with a detention tank or a blue roof.
Why does runoff from East Canarsie & Starrett City matter for Fresh Creek and Hendrix Creek?
Storm sewers here discharge runoff without treatment, so what washes off streets, roofs and yards ends up in Fresh Creek and Hendrix Creek. Holding roof runoff on site with a rain garden, drywell, or detention tank cuts flooding on the property and what reaches the water.
How do I check one property in East Canarsie & Starrett City (Fresh Creek & Hendrix Creek)?
Enter the address on this page to get its free Flood Form. The report rates that property for stormwater, sewer backup, groundwater, and coastal flooding, and recommends measures suited to the lot.
Nearby separate storm sewer areas
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- Sheepshead Bay & Gerritsen CreekSheepshead Bay & Madison19,430 properties · 57% with Moderate or High stormwater exposure
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