What flood risks should be checked before choosing a ground-mounted solar mounting system?

Start with a site-specific flood-risk check. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that flooding can come from coastal or riverine overflow and intense rainfall that overwhelms drainage; a site outside a mapped floodplain can still flood. DOE advises using FEMA flood maps together with local information. For ground-mounted PV, its guidance recommends considering foundations suited to wet-soil conditions and raising equipment above FEMA flood levels. Set foundation and equipment-elevation details for the site and applicable requirements; DOE does not prescribe one universal mounting height or anchor specification.

Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, “Preventing and Mitigating Flood Damage to Solar Photovoltaic Systems” (https://www.energy.gov/cmei/femp/preventing-and-mitigating-flood-damage-solar-photovoltaic-systems); FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search).