flood-protection-v2

Mega Flood Log System Far Exceeds Industry Testing Standard

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:59:13 GMT

Passes water seepage and impact tests with flying colors

Mount Royal, N.J—Engineers, architects and contractors can rest assured that Floodproofing.com has a selection of products that meet and exceed the forthcoming American Society of Civil Engineers/Structural Engineering Institute (ASCE/SEI) 24-24 standards for flood-resistant design and construction. Now the international leader in flood mitigation products has another engineered and tested product that exceeds these new standards for buildings in FEMA flood zones.

Floodproofing.com recently conducted third-party testing of its Flood Panel Mega Flood Log System following hydrostatic and impact performance standards of the American National Standard for Flood Mitigation Equipment known as ANSI/FM 2510. According to the new ASCE/SEI 24-24 standards, all flood barriers must be tested and certified to meet the applicable requirements of ANSI/FM 2510.

Manufactured at the company’s Jupiter, Florida-based Flood Panel facility, the Mega Flood Log System underwent seepage and impact testing in two configurations 12 feet wide by 5 feet high, and 5 feet wide by 8 feet high. The system was tested in a water tank filled to 10 percent capacity for one hour and 100 percent capacity for 20 hours.

The ANSI/FM 2510 test limit for seepage is 0.08 gallons per hour per linear foot of seal – about 10.2 ounces. The Mega Flood Log System tested at 0.01 gallons per hour – about 1.3 ounces, far exceeding the standard. Even after impact testing with a 110 lb. wooden log smashing into the assembled system, Mega Flood Logs showed no additional seepage when retested.

“With the more stringent requirements of ASCE/SEI 24-24 about to go into effect, the design and build industry needs assurance that the flood mitigation products and solutions they incorporate are professionally engineered and thoroughly tested,” said Floodproofing.com President and CEO Tom Little, CFM. “We follow a very high standard of excellence for our products, and we are proud of the testing results of the Mega Flood Log System.”

Designed to be highly resistant to heavy impact forces and withstand high-velocity water loads typical of flash floods and hurricanes, the Mega Flood Log System is an in-demand flood mitigation solution with hundreds of successful installations and deployments at commercial properties and critical infrastructure facilities. The innovative design makes it easy to install and quick to deploy.

The Mega Flood Log System offers the following benefits:

Easy Assembly: Offers the lowest reaction times of flood control systems on the market and can be assembled by just one or two people.
C-Shaped Support Posts: The system comprises a series of “C” shaped support posts and hollow aluminum beams that anchor the flood barrier system. These beams stack on each other with a tongue and groove connection. The bottom beam of each span is fitted with a large rubber seal that makes contact with the surface achieving a watertight seal. The support posts that attach to the building structure can be installed on a removable basis, minimizing the aesthetic impact on the building.
Easy Deployment and Storage: Twelve-inch-high logs cut the deployment time and allow for more efficient, easy storage.
Modular System: A modular, stackable system makes it easy to install in specific flood-prone areas, including window openings, across doors and storefronts, as well as an entire perimeter defense against flooding. Because of its modular design, it can run the length of any sized structure.
Custom Designs Available: Our team designs custom solutions to fit unique building specifications.

About Floodproofing.com

Floodproofing.com is the go-to resource for all things related to flood risk and resiliency. We manufacture and supply the largest selection of innovative solutions under one roof and provide complimentary floodproofing design and turnkey assessments that present the best options to mitigate flood damage, improve recovery time, and lower liability risk. In addition, the Floodproofing.com team has spent many years studying the science of flood mitigation and is certified to instruct and provide learning credits to all professionals affiliated with the design-build industry. Also, our in-house insurance agency, Risk Reduction Plus Group, provides NFIP and private flood insurance options with the lowest possible premiums for at-risk communities. For more information, visit Floodproofing.com.

Page 31

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 15:33:24 GMT

Polar Ice Caps Melting Much Faster than Predicted

During the past few weeks a very troubling news story has emerged, one that may affect every human on the planet. It has been revealed that the rate of ice melt in Antarctica has DOUBLED since 2010, a statistic that — if proven true — will lead to rapid environmental changes that may be devastating.

The immediate impact may be seen first in the area of agriculture. The climate-changing effects of this ice melt, as well as from other factors, is already being felt. The crops most impacted so far have been cereals: wheat, rice, and barley in particular. The cost of most breakfast cereals have seen huge increases over the past decade — up to 71%, as opposed to 37% for other foods. But the increasing cost of Frosted Flakes, while it surely impacts many, pales in importance when one considers how much of the human population depends on rice as a staple food.

The massive ice melt in the Antarctic region is already having global repercussions. While it is not possible to pin the blame for any specific hurricane, tornado, or drought on the melting polar ice caps, it is certainly within reason to be alarmed by the consequences of this development. These consequences include the migration of flora and fauna towards the poles, which is currently happening at a rate of almost 4 miles every ten years. This may sound benign until one realizes that tropical diseases and pests are moving along with this migration.

Aside from grocery prices, mosquito migration, and impact to wildlife, the melting ice caps will have another very imminent effect: depletion of drinking water for many areas. Lima, Peru, for example, is currently dependent on the Quelccaya Ice Cap for almost all its drinking water. This ice cap, however, is shrinking fast — at a rate of almost 30 meters a year. By comparison, the melt rate during the pre-1990′s years was only 3 meters per year. This is a major threat to Lima’s 10 million residents.

By far, the consequence of rapid polar melting that will impact the most people is rising sea level. Sea level increases, obviously, will severely impact those living near the coast, with increased flooding and encroachment of the sea into currently populated areas. Hurricanes, cyclones, and severe storms will become more and more frequent, and more devastating in their impact.

In the near future, it is likely that low-lying cities and coastal communities will be forced to build sea defenses, such as flood barriers, berms, and water-channeling infrastructure. At present in the US, there is no discernible slowing of development in low-lying coastal areas. This means that integrated water-containment defenses will soon become necessary as a costly retrofit, rather than as a pre-planned component of the new developments.

No scientist today is willing to predict that polar ice melt is going to stop by itself, or even to slow down. The general consensus in the scientific community is that the tempo of ice cap melt will increase rapidly. Coastal communities must act now to thwart and control sea level rise, which is now an inevitable part of our future on planet Earth.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Widespread Severe Weather in April of 2014

At the end of April 2014, a series of massive storm systems moved through the southeastern US, causing widespread flooding, particularly in the state of Florida. A full 26 of Florida’s 67 counties had been declared disaster zones by the beginning of May, as nonstop rainfall, high winds and several tornados inflicted major damage on a huge swath of the US.

Many states suffered serious destruction from the storms, which produced tornados in Mississippi, Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Florida. In all, there were 176 tornados reported- with 106 confirmed- in just the month of April 2014.

In chronological order, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana reported tornado sightings to the NOAA National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center on April 27, 2014. In Arkansas, the towns of Vilonia and Mayflower and the surrounding areas are reporting widespread devastation. This image was taken at 2345Z on April 27, 2014, around an hour before the tornado reports from Mayflower and Vilonia.

The NWS Storm Prediction Center is forecasting a widespread severe weather outbreak Monday afternoon, April 28, 2014, into Monday night across portions of the southern and eastern U.S. The greatest potential – where SPC has outlined a Moderate Risk – is across the lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys. Widespread severe storms – including strong tornadoes, damaging winds and very large hail are expected. Image: NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory

The multi-day tornado outbreak quickly morphed into widespread flooding throughout the affected areas, as the same systems that produced the tornados parked themselves and dumped huge amounts of rain on the already devastated communities. At least 40 people were killed by the storms.

Florida fared the worst as far as flooding, suffering inundations that have been called the worst in decades. Considering that Florida is routinely afflicted by very severe floods, this means that the situation there in April was very bad indeed. Residents and officials had been expecting the rains to move through the state, but instead the storms stayed put and dumped almost two feet of water in less than 24 hours, up to six inches in one hour alone.

Many homes and businesses found that the flood water did not enter their buildings in the normal manner. The supersaturated ground, unable to absorb any more water, percolated the water up through the foundations. Some buildings suffered over four feet of standing water, most of which came bubbling up from the ground. According to one meteorologist, the flooding in the Panhandle was the worst in over 30 years.

The last week of April brought the most severe weather conditions of the month, with over half of the continental US affected by extreme weather. This, combined with a particularly severe winter, has produced an economic down-tick that will have far-reaching repercussions nationwide. So far in the year 2014, there have been three weather disasters costing over $1 billion each. In fact, the total bill for these three events alone is estimated at close to $8 billion.

While there is no conclusive evidence that these particular weather disasters have been directly caused by climate change brought about by human activity, there is no doubt that human activity is affecting weather patterns- for the worse. Tom Karl, the director of the National Climatic Data Center, summed up the situation as follows:

“What we can say with confidence is that heavy and extreme precipitation events often associated with thunderstorms and convection are increasing and have been linked to human-induced changes in atmospheric composition.”

Four months into the year 2014, we are forced to conclude that severe weather and the flooding that accompanies it will be an unwelcome, frequent, and hazardous part of the future.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Flood Barriers Improved Along Major Rivers

According to the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) flash floods are an inherent danger throughout the city, and can happen at any time — for a variety of reasons. The website of the OEM warns that flash floods can be caused by coastal storms as well as intense rainstorms, and can strike quite suddenly, and without warning.

Flash floods can sometimes occur in areas that have no rain at the time of the flooding, because torrential rain in other areas has sent water cascading into rivers, canals, and flood ways. Flash flooding brought on by storms is a terribly dangerous situation, and is the number one cause of storm-related deaths across the US, according to the OEM.

When flash floods occur, streets become raging rivers in seconds. Cars, pedestrians, and any other object that is not bolted down gets swept away, hurtling through the avenues just like a river in a canyon. Many people will foolishly try to drive through rushing floodwater, thinking the weight of the vehicle will suffice against the flow. But water is much stronger than most would think, and if a car is hit broadside by water that is just a few feet deep, the car will not withstand the blow.

In addition to weather-related causes, sudden flooding can be caused by water main breaks, an increasingly common occurrence in NYC as its infrastructure ages. Flooding from water main breaks is usually not a threat to life, but can certainly be a threat to unprotected businesses and homes. A clothing shop that is suddenly inundated by water from a main break can lose its inventory in minutes.

Sewage back-ups are another cause of sudden flooding that cannot be predicted. In this case, not only is the water a threat, but what’s in the water! Sewage spills are a common part of life in NYC, and this type of flooding requires careful clean-up to avoid illness from the bacteria in the water. Horror stories abound of bathtubs and sinks regurgitating untreated sewage into homes and businesses, ruining belongings and inventory.

NYC is prone to flooding from many sources, and the OEM recommends taking preventive measures for any home or business that is situated in a low-lying area. Of course, this includes most of the city! The OEM suggests planting trees and other thirsty foliage around the house or business to soak up excess water, and offers a program to obtain free trees. Paving of green areas should be avoided, and installing protection for a low lying driveway or basement is very important. Pre-installed flood barriers, berms, and automatic flood panels can make the difference between inconvenience and disaster.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Montana Declares Flood Emergency

The state of Montana is often called the “Big Sky” state due to its seemingly boundless horizon and vast prairies. The state is often plagued by drought and dust storms, but during the winter there is a lot of precipitation in the form of snow. This year, however, has brought greater than average snowfall, and the accumulated snowpack is well above normal levels. Some areas have received more than their average yearly precipitation in just the past month alone! The state is readying itself for almost guaranteed widespread flooding as this immense snowpack begins to melt.

Video footage of the flood that occurred in Livingston, Montana on March 6, 2014. The city of Livingston declared a state of emergency as warm temperatures and rain melted snow and filled the streets. (Video: Christopher Cauble)

At the beginning of March, the flooding began. Across the state rivers swelled and rose above flood barriers, sending water into residential communities and farmlands. At the same time, some flooded areas received 6-8 inches of new snow, which combined with the floodwaters to make a miserable, slushy mess.

The flooding brought all the usual misery to affected communities: homes were evacuated, basements were flooded, schools were closed, and a “boil water” order went into affect. New snowfall increased worries for those affected, and impeded efforts to evacuate and control the existing flooding.

The town of Manhattan, Montana, much like its namesake in New York, lies in a flood-prone area. Last week it was inundated by sudden runoff from snowmelt and swollen rivers, and much of Main Street was underwater. In what is being called the worst flooding in over 60 years, over $1 million of damage was inflicted on the tiny town, which has a population of just 1549 people.

Although Manhattan has not seen flooding on this scale for many decades, city officials understand that more of the same lies in the future, as climate change makes severe flooding a more common occurrence. Already, the talk is of planning for what may well become regular flooding, and making the changes, such as flood barriers, berms, and run-off control that can prevent future disasters.

Meanwhile, more flooding is expected in Montana, and in a much wider area. Communities across Montana and Wyoming are filling sandbags, testing sump-pumps, and raising valuable items above flood level. Some rivers that are blocked by ice jams are of particular concern. These ice jams act as a sort of dam on the rivers, and if they are released suddenly by rapid melting, flash flooding could be the result.

In response to recent flooding and predicted further inundation, the Governor of Montana has declared a state-wide flood emergency. More than half of the state’s 56 counties are currently under flood watch, with hundreds of people already cut off by flooded or impassible roads. While the population is weary of unrelenting winter weather, the hope now is for low temperatures that will freeze the floodwaters, allowing isolated people to get out of stranded communities.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Page 32

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 15:33:24 GMT

Flooding Threat from Massive Snowpack

During the winter season of 2013-2014 there have been many more avalanches than in previous years. The season has been the harshest in decades — in some localities, the harshest in centuries. In certain areas, snowfall has broken ALL records since recording began over a 100 years ago.

It seems that every day brings another story of snowmobilers, skiers, or hikers being swept away by an avalanche. In late February of 2014, an avalanche roared into a residential area of Missoula, Montana, leveling a home and burying three people. Fortunately, the three victims were uncovered by rescuers and transported to a hospital.

Meanwhile, in California, months of extreme record-breaking drought were interrupted by furious storms that will not break the drought, but have produced dangerous mudslides and widespread flooding. When parched, cracked ground is deluged suddenly, little of the water is able to penetrate the hard-packed earth, and the vast majority of the water runs off; often in exactly the wrong direction.

Conversely, in most of the continental US, this winter has brought too much precipitation. Areas that have been persistently inundated this winter now have ground that cannot absorb any more water. And yet, many of these areas have an immense snowpack that will inevitably melt, resulting in far too much water — all at once — for the sodden ground to soak up.

Record snowfall, particularly in the western states, has produced a mountainous snowpack that exceeds a depth of 23′ in some places. The impact of this much snow, melting all at once, cannot be taken lightly. There is simply no place for all that water. Should a sudden thaw take place, disaster experts predict flooding of biblical proportions.

Rivers that are already at the bursting point will be presented with massive amounts of runoff from snowpack melt. Add to that the normal spring showers that happen every year, and these rivers will surely breach banks, levees, and flood walls this spring. Authorities from Montana to Maryland are anxiously eyeing weather reports and stepping up flood defenses.

Floods kill more people than hurricanes, lightning, or tornados in a given year, and this spring thaw could bring deadly results in communities that lack proper flood barriers. Even those that do have new flood barriers will see the defenses tested in real time — with a disastrous price for failure. A winter marred by many avalanche deaths could make way for a spring that brings many more flooding casualties.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Dutch Experience Provides Model for New York

For centuries, the Netherlands has been staving off the seas that threaten to claim the vast majority of Dutch real estate. Flood barriers and sea walls of all descriptions have been used, with various degrees of success. Over the years, the Dutch people have learned, via endless trial and error, the best practices for holding back the water.

However, even the Netherlands cannot completely control flooding in the event of a major storm surge. In the year 1953, the North Sea invaded the country, devastating the countryside and taking 1,835 lives in a single night. After that horrible event, the Netherlands developed a different strategy, which involved working with nature instead of against it. Now, flood authorities allow water into the land in a controlled manner. Canals and waterways stretch deep into the land, allowing floodwaters to follow a natural path that minimizes damage by keeping the water inside the designated water-routes.

After floodings of 1953 in the Netherlands the Deltaworks were executed to protect the coast. Part of the work was the closure of a sea arm called Het Volkerak. Open caissons where placed in the opening and closed when the tidal current was dead and then the caissons were quickly filled with sand and covered up.

Manhattan and other flood-prone parts of New York and New Jersey face nowhere near the same challenges as low-lying Netherlands. It is not true, as it is for Holland, that most of the land in these areas lies below sea level. However, it is true that Manhattan, New York, and New Jersey will suffer an ever-increasing threat of regular flooding due to sea level rise, increasing frequency of large storms, and other factors. Now we find that architects, engineers, and city planners are looking to the Netherlands for models of effective flood control on a regional basis.

Recently, New York Governor Cuomo announced a plan to emulate one of the most successful policies that has been implemented in the Netherlands. Cuomo’s plan calls for buying back property that probably should never have been developed in the first place. The plan will then replace existing homes and businesses with wetlands, parks, and greenbelts that can absorb and safely divert floodwaters. Sand dunes will be placed to act as natural flood barriers that will block major surges and channel the water in the desired direction.

This plan is somewhat of a departure from the usual American attitude, which tends to emphasize disaster relief over disaster prevention. But with the greater frequency of major storms, the horrific loss of life and immense financial cost of such a response, more and more communities are beginning to look for a new approach. Governor Cuomo is not alone in shifting towards a preventive outlook, but he is surely one of the most prominent proponents, and he has the resources to put his ideas into action.

The Governor envisions a changed coastal zone with development pushed back from the seaside. Flood barriers will be natural if possible, and aesthetically pleasing in most cases. The new flood absorption zones will provide many opportunities for recreation, bird watching, and pleasure boating. Displaced property owners will be coaxed into cooperation with cash compensation and relocation assistance.

Although the plan will not be palatable for every affected citizen, the majority will benefit from reduced threat of flooding, attractive new recreational zones, and perhaps even lower flood insurance rates. US flood control companies, some using experience gleaned over centuries in the Netherlands, will help build a safer and more beautiful New York. This assistance from the Netherlands is perhaps very appropriate considering that New York was originally settled by the Dutch, who named their colony New Amsterdam.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

One Year After Sandy, Suffering Continues

More than a year after Hurricane Sandy, many displaced residents are still suffering long-lasting repercussions from the massive disaster. Many of the areas that were most affected by the wrath of the storm were populated by low-income residents who have few resources with which to rebound from displacement. These areas were already densely populated before the storm, and the sudden loss of thousands of rental units presented a catastrophe for those seeking affordable housing.

Long Beach, N.Y., October 26, 2013 — Residents, first responders and politicians gathered in front of City Hall to observe the one year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. After speeches by local officials and N.Y. Senator Charles Schumer, the crowd watched a short film directed by Craig Weintraub recounting the day the hurricane hit and the efforts of residents to recover. K.C.Wilsey/FEMA

Options for housing after the storm were limited, to say the least. Many people moved in with friends and relatives, moved away from the area, or even lived outdoors in the sand dunes. Formal shelters could not begin to absorb the thousands of newly homeless families that sought assistance after losing everything.

The hurricane has been a disaster for renters and owners alike. Many homeowners were staying afloat financially by renting out part of their house, usually a basement. Naturally, basements did not fare well during the floods! Therefore, home owners who were scraping by before Hurricane Sandy by relying on rental income have had to face foreclosure without the extra income. In some neighborhoods, foreclosures have increased by 60% since Sandy swept through.

In addition to loss of income from rental units, exorbitant repair bills, and slow, inadequate insurance payouts, property owners now have to face additional expense in the form of sky-high increases in their insurance premiums. In many cases, this seems like a slap in the face to struggling property owners. Not only do they have to wait a very long time for paltry payouts that do not begin to cover expenses, but now they will have to pay MUCH more to continue that inadequate coverage.

Federal and State grants to rebuild homes and businesses are still being awarded at a snail’s pace. While the funds are supposedly available to help those in need, and politicians crow about their successes in securing funds for their constituents, the actual dollars are trickling in to very few coffers. In some communities, only 25% of claims have been processed, leaving most claimants wondering when — if ever — they will receive critically needed assistance.

Fortunately, not all communities in the path of Hurricane Sandy suffered utter devastation. Fortuitous surprises, as well as prudent planning, played a role in protecting some neighborhoods. One community in New Jersey was protected by a flood barrier that no one knew about: a sea-wall that had long been buried and forgotten. This sea-wall did its job and held back the same floodwaters that all but destroyed a community right next door — one that did not have such a barrier in place.

Communities that foresaw the threat from flooding fared better than their neighbors. Beachside neighborhoods that had maintained sand dunes and concrete sea-walls were able to withstand the fury of the storm much better than those without. Whether the flood barriers were natural or man-made, the protection to structures could not have been made more clear during Hurricane Sandy. More than one year after the storm, those communities that lacked flood barriers have snapped back to normalcy, while those that lacked flood protection are languishing.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Montana Declares Flood Emergency

US officials in the Department of Housing and Urban Development have announced the winners of an international design contest aimed at generating fresh ideas to protect the coastal areas of New York and New Jersey. The top ten ideas were announced on November 14th, chosen out of a total of 41 plans submitted to the contest. Over 200 engineers and architects were involved in the project.

From RebuildByDesign.org — Long Island Sound model

The teams associated with the top ten winning ideas will now move into a new phase of the contest, in which they will create concrete models of their plan, and will in some cases use computer generated simulations to assess the viability of the plan.

Contest officials stress that the winning ideas may never be implemented in real life, but maintain that the contest is important to foment regional conversation about the drastic changes that may be necessary to hold off rising tides and large storms resulting from climate change.

The contest was funded in part by the Rockefeller Foundation, and is called Rebuild by Design. More information about the contest results for New York and New Jersey, as well as projects planned in other parts of the US, may be found here: RebuildByDesign.org.

A few of the top ten projects are:

Construction of canals and water-stopping parks in Hoboken, New Jersey. The green parks would be used for recreation purposes, but in the event of flooding would also act as natural sponges to soak up or safely divert floodwaters.
Breakwaters, using natural materials, would be built off Staten Island to buffer storm surges.
An eight-mile network of dikes and flood barriers, designed to be ringed around the perimeter of Manhattan Island. This project, known as The Big U, has particularly captured imaginations due to its breathtaking scope- and corresponding price tag!
Addition of green flood-absorption areas around the dock areas of the Bronx. This waterfront area is hugely important to the food distribution process- even more critical during times of natural disaster.
Conversion of current green parks and meadows into tidal zones. New development might be planned around these flood-absorbing zones.
Man-made barrier islands to stretch the entire length of the New Jersey coastline. This island could be oyster beds in order to add extra benefit to the flood barrier properties of the island.

Although these ideas may never come to fruition in the real world, many of the good ideas from the contest will serve to initiate regional cooperation and conversation about the very real threats facing coastal areas in the coming years.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Page 33

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 15:33:24 GMT

New Floodplain Maps for New Jersey Raise Concerns

In mid-June, FEMA released a new floodplain map for the State of New Jersey. As hard as it may to believe — particularly after the widespread and devastating floods brought by Hurricane Sandy — the official flood zone area has shrunk.

While some property owners may be celebrating this news, others are raising concerns about the interpretation of the data. Barry Chalofsky, who is the former chief of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s storm water and ground water programs, has deep concerns about the new maps.

Source: FEMA Region II Coastal Analysis and Mapping

Mr. Chalofsky is apprehensive about the fact that many properties in New Jersey have been downgraded as far as flood risk, even though the studies that created the new zones did not factor in variables such as sea level rise and changes in topography that resulted from Hurricane Sandy nine months ago.

In a recent op-Ed essay that was published by newjersey.com (http://www.nj.com/times-opinion/index.ssf/2013/07/opinion_nj_fema_flood_map_revi.html), Mr. Chalofsky enumerates the reasons for his alarm. First and foremost among Chalofsky’s list of concerns is the fact that the flood maps have been drawn based solely on historical trends and past flooding incidents over the past century, without factoring in changes that have occurred recently.

For example, Hurricane Sandy altered the topography of much of the Jersey shoreline; in some areas drastic topographical changes have occurred. These changes in the lay of the land will undoubtably influence future flooding events in ways that cannot be fully predicted. For this reason, past flooding events can no longer predict how floodwaters and storms will behave from now on.

In addition, the new FEMA maps do not account for sea level rise, which is increasing inexorably and measurably each year. In other words, while we know that there has been an increase in sea level of about nine inches since the 1920′s, we do not know at what rate the sea level will rise over the coming century. Scientists are not in agreement on the rate of increase, but it is universally accepted that sea level rise will easily exceed the historical rate.

Therefore, Chalofsky has voiced his apprehensions even as some property owners are celebrating reduced flood insurance costs. The danger, says Chalofsky, is that some of these property owners will be putting themselves at great risk if they choose to reduce or even forego flood insurance.

“I think the real risk is that we rely too much on the maps and decide that we are “OK” if we just build to the required standards”, writes Chalofsky. “My biggest concern is that this latest revision will create a false sense of security for those residents who are not required to elevate…”

As property owners now endure the so-called “100-year floods” with increasing frequency, climate change and its accompanying sea level rise continues unabated, and vast areas of the eastern shoreline has been changed by past hurricanes and super-storms, property owners are well-advised to heed their own common sense and prudence instead of the new FEMA maps. A property protected by elevation, flood barriers, prudent planning, and adequate flood insurance will be much better equipped to withstand the coming storms.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Is Florida Planning Wisely for Rising Sea Level?

Credit: FloydPhoto/Wikimedia Commons

Flooding in Miami and the Florida Keys was once an occasional, if very inconvenient headache. But in recent years, flooding has become a regular and increasingly frequent fact of life — one that challenges communities throughout the state.

This Thursday, May 2, 2013 file photo shows flooding on Duval Street in Key West, Fla. after roughly five inches of rainfall. In many sea level projections for the coming century, the Keys, Miami and much of southern Florida partially sink beneath potential waves. (AP Photo/The Key West Citizen, Rob O’Neal)

Studies have shown that the coastal areas of Florida have conceded about nine inches of land to the ocean over the past 100 years. However, that pace has accelerated, and it is predicted that the same coastline will lose 9 to 24 inches in the next 50 years. This is particularly alarming when one considers that many important features of the area’s infrastructure sits a mere 2-5 feet above sea level!

A full 40% of the flood risk zones in the US can be found in the state of Florida. Flood maps that project risk during the coming decades indicate a frightening future for the state, with much of the coastline underwater in as few as 30 years. Some maps show an alarming new shape for the future State of Florida, with as much as a third of the state submerged — all the way up to Fort Lauderdale!

Recent large storms such as Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and Hurricane Wilma in 2005 provided a wake-up call to citizens and developers. These storm events were a sneak preview of what certainly lies ahead for Florida. Each year there is a shrinkage of beaches and watersheds, and the oceanfront creeps closer. Global sea level rise means that the storm surges of today are much more destructive and powerful than ever before.

At the present time, there is no official, coordinated plan to save or protect Florida’s coastline. When new developments are planned, no one knows if the construction will be protected by public works projects in the future, or if the land that is being built upon will be underwater in the coming years. Currently, new projects tend to be planned with flooding in mind, using elevation of the lot, natural flood barriers, or integrated flood panels. But the scope and reach of sea level rise may be beyond what is being planned for.

As an example, when planners began working on blueprints for a new fire station on Stock Island, which is located in the Florida Keys, they decided to build up the foundation a full nine feet in order to help protect it from inundation. This added greatly to the expense of the project, which is hovering around $4 million. But even these seemingly extreme precautionary measures may not be enough to hold back the sea 30 years from now.

As the City of New York implements its ambitious $20 billion plan to help reduce flood and storm threats, the State of Florida lags far behind. Without a coordinated and planned approach, it is likely that Florida will suffer greater losses than is strictly necessary. But even with the best of planning, the future of Florida looks very precarious.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

$20 Billion Plan to Protect New York from Floods

As we have discussed in a previous post, vast new swaths of New York and New Jersey have been added to official flood zone maps. This means that these areas now require flood insurance for businesses and homeowners, and rates for this insurance are expected to rise precipitously in the coming years. But no amount of expensive flood insurance can prevent flood disasters- for that, planning and preventive measures must be implemented.

In early July, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced an ambitious $20 billion plan to put into place flood protection devices and barriers that are designed to save the city from the next Hurricane Sandy. The plan is an extremely aggressive and forward-thinking proposal to shield the city from the effects of global warming.

The plan incorporates many different types of flood protection measures, including removable flood barriers, levees and floodgates, and the construction of flood barriers from natural materials such as sand dunes to deflect furious storms and winds from low-lying areas. Marshes would be added in specific areas to absorb and channel water in ways that are less destructive to surrounding communities.

Hospitals, fire stations, police departments, and clinics in at-risk areas would be flood-proofed under Bloomberg’s plan. During the Hurricane Sandy emergency, many of these critical services were themselves inundated, and were unable to assist the community. Homes in severely threatened areas will also be flood-proofed.

Removable flood walls are a central part of the plan to protect Manhattan. These flood walls will consist of posts and flood panels that would be put into place in advance of a big storm. This approach has been used successfully in other parts of the world, including the Netherlands. The obvious disadvantage of this device is that it must be manually erected before the storm, unlike automatic flood panels that are being used in many other flood-prone properties.

Mayor Bloomberg, in a speech at the hard-hit Brooklyn Navy Yard, emphasizes that the proposed work will takes many years, and even decades to fully complete. But he envisions a city that will one day be able to withstand the extremely severe hurricanes that undoubtably loom in the future.

Bloomberg’s plan is being funded by a variety of sources, including relief funding from Hurricane Sandy, federal grants, and a proposed surcharge on property insurance from all homeowners in the area. In addition to the protection of infrastructure and emergency services, grants will be available for individual property owners to flood-proof their homes and businesses.

This ambitious flood protection plan is being widely praised for its forward-thinking ideas and efforts to prevent future disasters. However, not everyone will be pleased with the coming changes, as some flood barriers will block ocean views and may not be aesthetically pleasing in some cases. But most residents who lived through the Sandy disaster will surely welcome the protection, even if it means sacrificing a pleasant vista.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Flood Insurance Rates to Skyrocket

In our last post we explored ways to save on flood insurance, which is a major expense for anyone who owns property in a flood zone. But in the past few days news reports have indicated that the rates will soon skyrocket far beyond what anyone had imagined. It appears that Congress has now decided that the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) must gradually begin to pay for itself, rather than continue in its current state of subsidization.

An example of how National Flood Insurance Program rates may increase when the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2012 is implemented. National Flood Insurance Program

This is very ominous news for anyone with property inside a designated flood zone. As a result of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of July 2012, insurance rates will increase in large jumps over the next four years until the program begins to break even.

The Biggert-Waters Act, although it will bring huge spikes in flood insurance rates, will also ensure that the insurance will be continuously available with no stoppages, at least through the year 2017. Until now, the NFIP has been funded in a haphazard way, with several gaps in funding that halted construction of tens of thousands of building projects.

The survival of the NFIP is now assured for the next four years, which is a relief to those living in flood zones. Without the NFIP coverage, these home and business owners would not be able to buy insurance from any private company — the properties would be completely unprotected. In many flood-prone areas across the US, flood insurance is federally mandated in order to use the property, so losing the NFIP coverage would be tantamount to losing the property altogether.

The Biggert-Waters Act also mandated the improved accuracy of flood zone maps, and these new maps are being released now. As a result, tens of thousands of property owners are finding that they will soon be required to carry flood insurance for the first time. Other properties that have been flooded and rebuilt in the past will be straddled with exorbitantly high insurance rates that reflect the risky location of the property. No longer will these flood-prone properties enjoy federally subsidized flood insurance, but will have to “pull their own weight” as a risky insurance gamble.

Although the Biggert-Waters Act provides recourse for challenging the new floodplain maps and for appealing the decision to include a property inside the flood zone, most of these property owners will find that expensive flood insurance will soon be an onerous expense that they must find a way to live with. In desperation, many will begin to make improvements to their infrastructure that will protect the property and help to lower astronomically high insurance rates.

Soon, flood protection measures that in the past were deemed too expensive or difficult will become simply prudent and cost-effective. Flood panels, earthen berms, run-off control projects, and other flood protection measures will increasingly be an integral part of every new construction, and owners of existing properties will by necessity begin the retrofit process to include these features.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Page 22

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:59:27 GMT

The Trouble with Levees

People like to build and live in a floodplain for many reasons. Some may enjoy a pleasing vista that includes a winding river or a seascape. Recreational possibilities abound near water, and waterfront homes are deemed ‘upscale’ and more desirable. In a bygone era, living near the water was necessary for trade, transportation, and even waste removal. However, one aspect of waterfront living has not changed over the years, and may never change: the threat of flooding.

In an effort to lessen the danger from floods, levees have been used in the U.S. since the mid-1800’s. According to the FEMA fact sheet on levees, these early installations were relatively primitive flood barriers that were intended to protect farmland. Whereas the ancient Mesopotamian cultures enjoyed the benefit of allowing their predictable and seasonal floods to enrich the soil, farmers in the U.S. were plagued by capricious floods that came at inconvenient moments. Many of these first levees in the U.S. are still standing, and are still diverting water and averting floods.

In the early part of the 20th century, the U.S. suffered a series of horrific floods that caused many deaths and economic devastation on a massive scale. As a result, Congress passed the Flood Control Act of 1917, which authorized the construction of levees along the Mississippi, Ohio, and Sacramento rivers. Local communities were required to foot the bill for half of the construction costs, and to pay for upkeep after construction. As a result of this legislation, massive building projects were undertaken, relying heavily on the expertise and skills of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The US Army Corps of Engineers operated the Morganza Floodway for only the second time ever (and the first time for its intended purpose) in 2011 to divert excess Mississippi River water to the Atchafalaya River Basin and relieve pressure on the mainline Mississippi River levees.

Today, many levees run parallel to the rivers they control, and provide an outlet for floodwater to be channeled off and diverted. This has greatly reduced damage and loss of life from floods, but some critics say that the levees have only encouraged more and more people to build their homes inside floodplains. This is dangerous for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that levees can and do fail. The most recent and spectacular example of levee failure occurred in 2005, when New Orleans was inundated during Hurricane Katrina.

Some environmentalists have also raised concerns over the use of levees. A growing number of critics maintain that levees, while necessary to protect urban areas, should be scaled back or abandoned altogether in rural zones. These farmlands should be allowed to flood, and the farmers should be compensated for their financial losses. This plan is also being widely discussed and considered in the British Isles, which has seen many devastating floods in the last decade. The main objection to the widespread use of levees is that they tend to foster a sense of invulnerability in the community, and that there is a tendency to build and rebuild in these dangerous floodplains because of the perceived protection of the levees. In addition to this fallacious thinking, the levees are an attempt to artificially control wild rivers that may be less dangerous, in the long run, if left to their ancient routes and habits.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Mississippi River Crest Smashes Records

The winter of 2015-2016 has been exceptionally wet throughout much of the continental U.S., thanks to a very strong El Niño weather pattern that has brought both devastation and salvation. The salvation has been experienced in the southwest, particularly the coastal states of California, Oregon, and Washington. These areas have been experiencing an prolonged and vicious drought that has killed countless trees, much native wildlife, and even humans who were killed by uncontrollable wildfires.

This winter, these zones are enjoying heavy and frequent rains that are very welcome — to a point. The problem lies in the rock-hard, parched ground, which does not absorb water. Much of the precious water is running off, into the ocean or into streams and rivers. The mighty Mississippi River and its tributaries are catching a lot of this run-off, and a huge and dangerous flood crest made its way south during the month of January. Unfortunately, the banks of this huge river are lined with many major cities that were founded close to the banks in order to profit from transport and commerce from passing steamships.

Major cities like St. Louis, Memphis, Baton Rouge and New Orleans have all been warily watching the flood crest roll towards them, hoping against hope that levees would hold back the water. Some large towns have suffered flood crests that broke records by over 4.5 feet, in spite of the fact that these records date all the way back to the 1800’s. In addition to major cities and towns, there are many other commercial interests that have been adversely affected by the cresting river. Refineries, docks, warehouses, machinery, and the levees themselves have been threatened by high water.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the Bonnet Carre Spillway starting on Sunday, January 10, 2016.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has kept a close eye on the flood crest as it moved downstream. This organization has made moves intended to keep the flood under control as much as possible. Spillways were opened strategically to channel the water out of the river in time to prevent flooding in major cities. This move, however, comes with a cost to the communities downstream of the spillways. Hundreds of homes were flooded by the opening of the spillways, in what must seem to those homeowners as a deliberate disaster.

While property damage caused by the opening of the spillways dismayed thousands of people, many, many more people were praying that the opening of the spillways would allow the levees to hold. During the migration of the flood crest, many levees were perilously close to breaching, or even collapse. The USACE announced during the flood alert that 19 levees throughout the Mississippi Valley were ‘highly vulnerable’ to flooding. In the end, many of the levees did fail, and cities from St. Lewis to Baton Rouge experienced widespread flooding. Thousands of people were evacuated from the flood zones, lives were disrupted, property was lost or damaged; but by pure luck no lives were lost.

It is worth noting that although flood records have been kept since the mid 1800’s, all of the worst floods have occurred within the past 25 years. Global warming, rising sea levels, and climate disruption are causing ever more dangerous floods along the Mississippi River as well as the coastal areas of the U.S. It is not just the state of Florida that must worry about preparing for the future, but also the major cities that line the great rivers of the American heartland.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Jonas brings historic flooding to the East Coast

Storm Jonas set more than snowfall records in the Northeast. Much of the coast was also impacted by historic flooding caused by the convergence of a full moon, three high tide cycles and storm surge. For many residents along the coast, the Blizzard of 2016 will be remembered for flooding worse than they experienced from Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Cape May, N.J. recorded water levels of 8.98 feet during the height of the storm, setting a new record previously set during Hurricane Sandy.

In Lewes, Del., the water level of 9.27 broke its previous record set in 1962.

Flood Panel featured in Green Building & Design Magazine article

Resiliency experts: Green Building & Design feature explains why @RISE_NYC chose us for #floodprotection …

Please click here to view article in a new window.

Page 23

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:59:27 GMT

Huge Blizzard Brings Major Flooding

Winter storm Jonas roared through the southeastern parts of the U.S. on January 22-23, bringing record-breaking amounts of snow that adversely affected 50 million Americans. The storm was projected to be a sort of winter hurricane; bringing winds of 60mph, widespread power outages, ‘thunder-snow’, and massive snowfall that would bring cities like Washington DC and New York to a standstill.

In reality, many of these dire projections did not occur, and the storm was a bit milder than had been projected. The 60mph winds did not materialize, although high winds were a problem in many area, and high-profile vehicles were warned to stay off the roads during the storm. Jonas was a particularly dangerous type of storm, one that has struck fear for many centuries: it is called a nor’easter. Nor’easters are named for the direction from which the winds are moving across the land, and they are known to bring very heavy precipitation, hurricane force winds, blizzards, severe coastal flooding, and powerful storm surges that can devastate coastal communities.

Winter storm Jonas, January 23 2016. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz and Joshua Stevens, LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response.

During winter storm Jonas, many communities suffered from a snowfall that accumulated 2-4 inches of snow per hour… for almost 24 hours. Snowfall records were set in Baltimore, MD, Allentown, PA, Harrisburg, PA, Newark, NJ, and parts of New York City, with records dating back to 1892. The city of Philadelphia received as much snow in that one day as is normally recorded for an entire year!

With all that snow, flooding does not seem likely to be a major concern; at least, not until the melting begins. But that was not the case. Jonas brought major flooding in several areas, even before the first snowflake melted. Particularly hard hit were the Jersey Shore communities, which have yet to fully recover from Hurricane Sandy. In fact, many residents are comparing the two storms, so destructive was this winter storm in terms of flooding. One Jersey Shore community, Cape May, recorded its highest storm surge ever, at almost 9.5 feet. The tidal flooding in these communities brought widespread power outages, major flood damage, and scenes of city streets flooded with icy water dotted with mini-icebergs.

The more widespread danger from flooding may be still on the horizon, however. As communities focus on clearing the massive amounts of snow from streets and parking lots, warmer weather is forecast for Tuesday, along with rain showers. This warm rain could melt the snow much faster than the frozen ground can absorb, and a flooding disaster could result. As if this is not bad enough, more snow is predicted for later in the week! When all this new snow, melted old snow, and rain converges upon super-saturated and/or frozen ground, a severe run-off problem will likely result. When all is tallied, flooding may be the most surprising, and damaging, aspect of winter storm Jonas.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

The Great Galveston Flood, Part II

Even prior to the disastrous hurricane of 1900, there were some who voiced concerns about the vulnerability of the city of Galveston. Galveston in 1900 was one of the largest and most important cities in Texas, with major shipping and economic importance- but it was also the most precarious. The city is built on what is essentially a large sandbar in the Gulf of Mexico, and in the year 1900 the most elevated spot on the island was less than ten feet above sea level. In hindsight, it seems obvious that Galveston was horrifyingly exposed to the elements, especially in the face of a hurricane.

In 1898, when Galveston city officials evaluated their vulnerability to storms, one possibility under discussion was the construction of a large sea wall to act as a flood barrier in the event of a large storm. Isaac Cline, the Galveston Weather Bureau Director, penned an article in the Galveston Daily News in which he stated his opinion that a seawall was absolutely not needed to protect Galveston. Cline went so far as to dismiss as “a crazy idea” that a deadly hurricane was likely to ever imperil Galveston. For many, Cline’s opinion was accepted as gospel — and believed that no major hurricane would ever strike. Galveston.

Galveston disaster, 1900, relief party working at Avenue P and Tremont Street.

Two years later, the Great Storm of 1900 ripped through Galveston, killing up to 12,000 people and obliterating most of the structures on the island. In the days that followed the storm, however, the people of Galveston showed true courage, pluck, and heroism. There were many tales of bravery and sacrifice as literally every soul on the island contributed to the rescue of survivors and recovery of bodies. Galveston immediately began the rebuilding process, and within one week, crucial telegraph and water services were operating again.

When officials convened after the disaster to determine the steps needed to rebuild Galveston, this time there was no question about the need for a seawall: the city would never again be able to rest easy without a massive flood barrier. In addition to the seawall, the elevation of the island would also be raised, by a large margin. The project of raising the elevation of an entire city is daunting even with today’s technology, so it is impossible to overstate the difficulty of achieving such a task in 1901.

One year after the storm, a team of engineers was hired to get the job done, and as quickly as possible. It was decided that the elevation of the city would need to be raised at least 17 feet on the side facing the gulf, tapering off somewhat on the inland side. Millions of truckloads of material were needed to accomplish this, and the engineers came up with an ingenious solution: they would dredge the shipping channels, and pump the slurry onto the island. When the water drained away, the sediment would remain, and this would be held in place by walls and other barriers. This solution achieved two important goals: raising the city and clearing the channels. But in order to do this, all the remaining structures, as well as gas, water, and sewer mains, had to be raised first. It was a mammoth project, even by the standards of present-day capability!

The other flood prevention project, of course, was the seawall that Isaac Cline had deemed unnecessary. No one who had lived through that dreadful night of September 8,1900 would ever again feel safe in Galveston without a massive flood barrier. The project required 60 years to fully complete, but at last the city of Galveston was protected by a huge seawall that today stretches 10 miles in length between the Gulf of Mexico and the rebuilt Galveston. The wall, which is is 15.5′ in height, was partially built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who are today responsible for inspection and maintenance of the wall.

Sea Wall, From West of Rapid Fire Battery, Fort Crockett

Isaac Cline, who had helped doom Galveston when he pooh-poohed the idea of building a flood barrier, survived the Great Storm of 1900, but barely. Unfortunately, his pregnant wife was not so lucky, and she perished that terrible night. After the storm, Cline claimed that he had personally gone through the crowds at the Galveston beaches as the storm approached, urging people to seek higher ground. There is little evidence to back up this claim, and most historians believe that Cline was most likely speaking from feelings of intense regret and guilt over the fact that he had opposed the flood barrier project. A mere 15 years after the Great Storm of 1900, Cline was alive to see Galveston struck by another big storm, but this time the city was spared — thanks to the brand-new flood barrier that had been put into place, just in time.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

The Great Galveston Flood, Part I

Most people know that Hurricane Katrina was the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. That storm was so destructive that the name “Katrina” was retired from the list of recurring names used by the National Weather Service to identify large storms. But as horrible as Katrina was, there is another storm in our national history that was even worse, especially in terms of lives lost.

In early September of the year 1900, the city of Galveston was packed with people from far and wide who were enjoying a late summer vacation at the seaside. This city is situated on a small island located about 2 miles off the coast of Texas, and at the time of the flood, the elevation was less than nine feet above sea level. The 29-mile length of Galveston Island faced the Gulf of Mexico, and its long sandy beaches attracted vacationers from mainland Texas every summer.

Galveston Disaster, Texas, 1900: house on Avenue N slightly moved with flood

In those days, sophisticated storm warning systems did not exist, but nevertheless there were some warnings about a large storm approaching the area. Ships at sea had encountered and reported the storm, and the hurricane had passed through parts of Florida, but damage to telegraph lines hindered communication. In addition to this, at that time there was no way of knowing where the storm was headed. Unfortunately, neither locals nor visitors heeded the alert — even after an official hurricane warning was issued — and most continued their holiday activities until it was far too late to flee. The Galveston Hurricane slammed into the island with a sudden fury, making land as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 145 mph.

Galveston Island in 1900 had no sea wall, and some natural flood barriers such as sand dunes had been removed to fill in low-lying areas inland. When this Cat-4 hurricane swept over the island, there was nothing in place to hold back the immense storm surge that was dragged in by the storm. This surge was so huge that it completely submerged a passenger train en route to Galveston, which had been stopped by debris on the tracks. All 85 people on board the train died when the seawater washed well over the roofs of the train cars. 10 people who had fled the train to a nearby lighthouse managed to survive.

On Galveston Island, a storm surge of at least 15 feet swept over the entire island. With a maximum elevation of less than 9 feet, this meant that even on the highest point there was no place of safety. Almost all the buildings on the island were simply knocked off their foundations and smashed to bits. Between 6,000-12,000 people died that day of September 8,1900, with no chance of help for the helpless survivors, many of whom were grievously injured. Because the bridges that linked Galveston to the mainland were washed away, it took some time for the scope of the disaster to become known. One of the earliest signs of the scale of the devastation was the discovery of a large ocean liner that had been washed more than two miles inland from Galveston.

When rescuers finally reached Galveston, they found that the city had been totally destroyed, and a full 20% of the island’s inhabitants had died. Many people who had survived the storm lay injured and buried under the mountains of debris, and died slowly of injury or thirst because rescuers were unable to reach them. The ghastly business of disposing of the thousands of bodies took many weeks, and exacted a severe psychological toll on those charged with collecting and burning the corpses. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 remains to this day the deadliest storm in U.S. history, and all the storms since then, if combined, have not yet equalled the loss of life from that one day.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Houston Battered by Weakened Hurricane Patricia

October 2015 was a disastrous month for flooding. During the first week of the month, South Carolina was all but stopped in its tracks by flooding that has been called a 1000-year event. Then, during the last week of the same month, parts of Texas suffered the same fate as South Carolina, with floods more severe than any living person had ever seen.

In some parts of the state, almost 4″ of rain per hour was recorded, with some areas inundated by almost 20″ of precipitation in one 24-hour period. Roads were washed out, a train was derailed, and damage to homes and property was widespread. The perilous band of storms also produced several tornados, adding to the chaos and fear that gripped the area. In the end, the storms claimed six lives, with some people swept to their deaths directly from their own homes.

Hurricane Patricia seen from the International Space Station on October 23rd 2015. Photo by NASA

The deadly storms that caused so much suffering were in part a result of Hurricane Patricia, which was said to be the most powerful hurricane ever to make landfall in recorded history. Patricia fortunately made land at a relatively uninhabited section of Mexico, and quickly dissipated when it hit a mountain range in the center of the country. However, the storm still held a lot of rain, even after its fierce winds were quelled. This rain, combined with precipitation from other nearby storms, is what deluged the Houston area at the end of October.

Houston has a lot of experience with floods, and some experts call it the most dangerous city in the entire U.S. as far as the likelihood of being injured or killed by flood conditions. The area in and around the city is topographically vulnerable to flooding, with very little elevation and too much pavement, which only runs off the precipitation without absorption. The history of Houston is dotted by major flooding events, including the Great Flood of 1935, which covered a large part of the city and led to the formation of the Harris County Flood Control District, which has overseen flood control projects that have cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

In spite of these projects, Houston remains vulnerable to severe floods right up to the present day — but with brighter prospects than in that bygone period of 1935. Today, the city is much better protected, as the flood barriers, levees, run-off canals, and other flood control measures have helped to control rainwater. During the recent storms, downtown Houston suffered relatively little structural damage, mostly because the heavy investment in flood control projects has paid off. Still, there is more to be done, and Houston cannot yet rest easy whenever the winds howl and the rains pelt down. With such a flat topography and surrounded by creeks and rivers, Houston will need to keep working on flood defense programs well into the foreseeable future.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 24

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:59:27 GMT

The Last Stand of Holland Island

100 years ago, the Chesapeake Bay was sprinkled with inhabited islands that supported thriving communities of fishermen, crabbers, and oyster-men. In fact, these islands were peopled for hundreds of years before the arrival of Europeans — recent improvements in archeological techniques have revealed that crabbing and oyster-gathering sustained Native American communities on these same islands for many centuries.

Today, very few inhabited islands still cling to a precarious foothold in the Chesapeake Bay. Most of the islands that once hosted human communities have been abandoned because they have sunk too low to offer a sustainable foundation for the towns. One such island — perhaps the bay’s best-known illustration of sea level increase — is Holland Island.

At the turn of the last century, Holland Island was home to a relatively large community of more than 300 people. It had shops, schools, and other services that communities require. But over the ensuing decades the island began to sink relentlessly, along with all other islands in the sprawling bay.

The last house on Holland Island in the Chesapeake Bay as it stood in October 2009. This house fell into the bay in October 2010.

The Chesapeake Bay is a particularly stark example of the hazards of sea level rise, as here the ocean is encroaching at a faster rate than at other bodies of water along the US East Coast. This is because the land mass that surrounds the bay is sinking for other reasons than simply sea level rise- it is also influenced by primordial glacial activity from the last ice age. This land mass had been pushed up by glacial forces which are no longer in play, and now the land is sinking back down at just the moment when sea levels are rising.

The result of this double whammy is a spectacular, speeded-up display of what is happening in all coastal communities around the world. Islands in the Chesapeake Bay have been completely claimed by the sea in many cases, and dozens of others have been rendered uninhabitable. The people who lived on these islands for generations have been forced out by the inexorable march of the sea.

Holland Island has often been in the news because of one extremely curious situation. Until recently, the island presented a very odd spectacle: one last 2-story Victorian house rising from the sea … alone, surrounded by nothing but bay-water. The house remained standing largely due to the Herculean efforts of one man, who had made it his mission to save the house.

Stephen White, a retired minister, bought the house and most of the island in 1995, for $70,000. He would lose his investment when the island sank below the water only 15 years later. White was motivated to save the island when he happened to visit the town’s cemetery, which held the remains of a young island girl. The stone at her grave read simply: “Forget me not”. White was so moved by these words that he tried everything in his power to save the site.

White spent countless hours, expended heroic physical labor, and lost a mountain of cash trying to save this last house on Holland Island. He erected every kind of flood barrier he could think of: earth berms, sandbags, and even modern, high-tech flood panels. White incessantly implored the government for help with the flood barriers, but to no avail. He even tried to have the house moved to the mainland, but that option proved untenable.

For a time, the house remained standing, the last bastion of what was once a busy town with homes, boat docks, and even a traveling baseball team. But the sea was unstoppable, and in the year 2010 the house collapsed, and with it the quixotic quest of Stephen White.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

South Carolina Floods Disable the State

During the first week of October, a freakish storm system battered the southeastern U.S. states, particularly South Carolina. Hurricane Joaquin, which did not directly hit the region, nevertheless contributed massive amounts of precipitation to other smaller storms and then collided with a cold front that had stalled in the area. In what is being called a 1000-year event, record-smashing amounts of rain battered an entire state to a standstill. In fact, some meteorologists are predicting that this storm system, when all precipitation meters are recorded, will be revealed as the most prolific storm in the recorded history of the U.S. … ever! When the rain finally let up after a five-day torrent, 25 people had lost their lives.

A levee breach at the Columbia Riverfront Canal, Columbia, S.C., during a statewide flood Oct. 5, 2015. The South Carolina National Guard has been activated to support state and county emergency management agencies and local first responders as historic flooding impacts counties statewide. Currently, more than 1,100 South Carolina National Guard members have been activated in response to the floods. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Jorge Intriago/Released)

Several weeks after the storm, the state of South Carolina has yet to fully recover. It is thought that it will take months to fully assess the damage to area dams and bridges, as multiple rivers burst their banks during the storm, causing devastating damage downstream. At least 18 dams were breached during the flooding, and many of these collapsed completely. Some bridges and dams that remain standing may have hidden damage or flaws that could become very dangerous during the next storm if not discovered before then. Engineers are working hard to inspect all the dams and bridges that survived the storm, even as plans to rebuild collapsed flood barriers are being prepared. In addition to the destroyed dams and bridges, many roads, including major thoroughfares, remained unsafe and impassable several weeks after the storm. A 75-mile section of I-95, the main interstate passing through the state, was closed during and after the storm, causing extreme havoc to interstate transport and commuters.

Another serious after-effect of the storm was contamination to the water supply. People were urged to thoroughly boil any water used for drinking or cooking, and to discard any ice that had been made from water after the storm. The flooding in South Carolina was so extreme, and so widespread, that the contaminated floodwaters had mixed with reservoir water, cisterns, and other water collection systems, rendering the public water supply unsafe. FEMA disaster relief funding will be available for flood survivors who sustained losses in this storm. Funds may be used to pay for temporary rentals or home repairs. For example, many homes that withstood the floods are now uninhabitable due to mold and mildew

The storm of October 2015, although not a named hurricane, will live a long time in the memories of all those who endured that five days of anxiety, fear, and an almost total disruption of daily life. In some parts of South Carolina, almost two feet of rain was gauged during the five days of unrelenting downpour, smashing records for daily, weekly, and even monthly rainfall levels — all from one epic storm. Many towns were entirely submerged, and the devastation was so widespread that almost no part of the state emerged unscathed. Although the storm is being called a ‘1000-year flood’, it is very likely that the next 1000-year flood will arrive considerably sooner than 1000 years from now.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Flash Floods in Utah Claim 20 Lives

Flash floods are among the most deadly of all the flooding scenarios, because victims simply do not have enough time to get out of harm’s way. Every year, flash floods occur in the arid U.S. Southwest, and unfortunately, lives are often lost as a result. 2015 was a particularly bad year for flash flooding in the state of Utah. Freak twin storm events in September produced 2″ of rain in a very short period of time, which quickly filled creeks, canyons, and gullies. The storm has been described as a 100-year event, and the resulting loss of life was devastating. When it was over, the storm had earned a place in the record books as the deadliest storm in Utah’s history, with at least 20 lives lost.

USGS scientist Brad Slaugh taking measurements following a flash flood event in Hildale, Utah. Photo taken 9/15/2015 by Jake Benson/USGS

The storm began as Hurricane Linda, but it was quickly downgraded from hurricane status as it moved into the U.S. Southwest. As it entered the arid states of Utah and Arizona, the storm dumped most of the precipitation that it had picked up in the tropics. Because the ground was rock-hard from a persistent drought, the water immediately ran off and quickly produced life-threatening conditions. At this point, the National Weather Service released its most strongly worded warning: “Move to higher ground now. Act quickly to save your life!”

Unfortunately, a number of people gathered near Short Creek to watch the rapidly rising water level. Sixteen of these bystanders were carried off by the rushing water as it suddenly rose and swept away two vehicles. This disaster resulted in the deaths of 13 people, but three children were miraculously rescued by emergency personnel. Hundreds of rescue workers and volunteers braved hazardous conditions to search for one missing child, but the river was so dangerous that their work was greatly impeded.

Another crisis occurred at Zion National Park when an inordinate amount of precipitation caused flash flooding in the Keyhole Canyon area. This popular hiking area is characterized by slot canyons- these are very narrow canyons with steep sides that allow no chance of escape when floods strike. These canyons are close to the Virgin River, and when this river rises quickly, the slot canyons can become death traps. During the sudden storms on this day, the Virgin River rose from its normal volume levels of 55 ft3 per second to 2,630 ft3 per second… in under 15 minutes.

Rangers quickly moved to close all the canyon hiking areas, but one group of seven people had decided to go ahead with the hike in spite of unfavorable weather forecasts. Trapped in the slot canyons when they filled with ferocious torrents of water, all seven hikers perished. Heroic rescue workers faced extremely dangerous conditions in an effort to locate the hikers, but to no avail.

The combined death toll of these storms was 20 individuals; 20 lives were cut short, and many other lives were scarred by sorrow and loss as a result. The lesson learned by survivors is stark: flash floods are so dangerous and so fast-moving, that the warning of the National Weather Service must be heeded immediately: move to higher ground, and act FAST to save your life!

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Flood Protection is the Best Defense Against Flood Damage

Across North and South Carolina, communities are struggling after historic 1000-year flooding devastated parts of the region. It will be months, and possibly years, before many businesses impacted by the floods will be back in business. Some may never recover.

The National Flood Insurance Program reports that at least 25 percent of businesses that close after a flood don’t reopen.

Flood protection is the best defense against flood damage, and can provide businesses with some peace of mind in flood prone areas.

Hurricane Joaquin in the Atlantic Ocean north of Bermuda at 1315Z on October 5, 2015. GOES East satellite image from NOAA EVL.

In North and South Carolina, and in other places recently hit hard by flooding like Houston and the Jersey Shore, a number of forward-thinking businesses have taken steps to protect their assets with flood protection from Flood Panel LLC. (Click here for a list of Flood Panel projects.)

“We are heartbroken by the recent flood events in North and South Carolina, and our thoughts are with our many customers and business partners who live there,” said Tom Osborne, owner and president, Flood Panel. “The historic flooding demonstrates the unpredictability of storms, the catastrophic effect of flooding on communities, and the importance of being prepared for whatever Mother Nature brings.”

In regions at risk to major flooding, businesses have few options: move the building outside of the flood zone, elevate the structure above base flood elevation, build earthen barriers like berms, dikes and walls, or floodproof. Moving or elevating can add significant business hardship. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, floodproofing is the best choice, especially for urban structures.

Dry floodproofing requires that all large openings have flood barriers installed, areas below water level must resist infiltration, all small openings must be sealed, buoyancy effects should be considered and a method for pumping out leakage must be provided. Flood Panel’s expert consultancy and comprehensive line of flood panels, flood doors and custom flood solutions address any flood scenario.

The best flood defense is a good offense. A proactive approach to flood protection may spare businesses from catastrophic loss due to flooding caused by the next hurricane, historic rainfall or other extreme weather event.

For more information, visit www.floodpanel.com.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 25

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:59:27 GMT

New Orleans Cautiously Rebuilds

It is now a full ten years since Hurricane Katrina laid waste to the City of New Orleans, killing 1833 people and leaving much of the city in utter ruin. After the storm passed, the city was physically and psychologically devastated. Many tens of thousands of the city’s residents were forced to leave the city, as their homes had been destroyed or condemned. Power outages affected almost 3 million people throughout the U.S., and water quality in New Orleans remained suspect for months.

The Katrina disaster was largely the result of a spectacular failure on the part of the U.S. Corps of Engineers. The federally funded levee system, that was designed to protect low-lying New Orleans from storm surges, was breached in more than 50 places. It was the first total failure of a USACE flood defense system, but unfortunately it was a mammoth failure. After the levees failed, floodwaters spilled into the city unimpeded, causing drowning deaths, and massive damage to property and infrastructure. After the storm, the USACE was sued by the City of New Orleans for negligence regarding the design and construction of the levees. The lawsuit, which is still ongoing, is seeking $77 billion dollars in damages.

Looking upriver from Burgundy & Canal Streets towards University Place, New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo taken on March 7, 2015 by Paul Sableman.

As of August of 2015, as we passed the ten year mark since Katrina pounded New Orleans, the city had begun to rebuild. $14 billion had been spent on new flood defenses, including new levees and other flood barriers. According to the USACE, the new system will be able to withstand even a 500 year flood event, for example, a monster storm even larger than Katrina. This system was tested in 2012, when Hurricane Isaac tracked roughly the same path as Katrina. During Isaac, many dams, levees and other coastal flood barriers over-spilled water, but they held. After Isaac passed, the water was pumped out of the lakes to alleviate the pressure on the flood barriers.

The acceptable performance results of the new flood barriers gladdened the hearts of city officials, business owners, and residents. It also had another important result: it relieved the pocketbooks of insurers. After the new flood defense system proved that it was battle-ready, insurers were more willing to write policies, and therefore construction companies, planners, and architects suddenly had the insurance they needed to build in some of the more vulnerable areas that had been destroyed by Katrina.

The results have been lauded by some, but deprecated by others. Many of the new projects are upscale, trendy, and expensive. They sometimes ignore or obliterate the history of the site, wiping away important cultural references and completely changing the meaning and purpose of the site. For example, an old and culturally important produce market has been transformed into an upscale restaurant. The “bones” of the old market building have been preserved, but the purpose has changed to such an extent that it no longer retains any of its former importance to the community.

In a similar fashion, the people who once gave New Orleans its vibrancy, verve, and spirit have been replaced. Hundreds of the new dwellings that were replaced in the old flooded quarter are beyond reach of the former inhabitants, many of whom are not able to return home to New Orleans. Critics say that the new New Orleans is a “Disney” version of the world-famous cultural gem that once stood in the same spot. Wedged between the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Pontchartrain, the rebuilt New Orleans may regain its economy and infrastructure, but some say that its soul was washed away forever.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Protecting the NYC Transit System

New York City was struck by devastating flash floods in the year 2007, followed by massive damage from Hurricane Sandy just five years later. During both these events, the transit system of the metropolis suffered catastrophic destruction, from which it is still recovering. Not surprisingly, those who are charged with maintaining the NYC transit system are eager to avoid any repetition of this scenario.

The NYC transit system is operated and controlled by the city’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), and ever since Hurricane Sandy this agency has been literally going to the ends of the earth in order to protect the transit system from future storms and floods. Officials from the MTA’s infrastructure and facilities department have explored the flood-proofing solutions used in other parts of the world — from South America to Tokyo — without finding the definitive protections needed by the huge transit system that serves NYC. Lacking a ready-made solution, engineers and planners have made the decision to create their own flood defense plan.

MTA head Thomas Prendergast, along with Housing & Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Governor Andrew Cuomo, inspecting a removable subway stair flood control cover at the Whitehall St. Station/Marc Hermann, MTA

The first step was to examine the vulnerabilities of the transit system, and to determine the most critically important areas; equipment and infrastructure that needed absolute protection from floodwaters. It was not difficult to find the vulnerabilities. Every manhole cover, ventilation bay, subway access tunnel, access stairway, and even the main subway train station itself currently allows storm water to flood into the underground tunnels and stations. Nine of the NYC subway tunnels pass beneath rivers and other waterways, making them extremely likely to fill with water in a big storm. But already, ingenious devices are being developed and implemented.

Let’s take a look at the problem of the ventilation bays and manhole covers. These access points are necessary for underground ventilation as well as access for repairmen. Located directly on the street or sidewalk, they are extremely leaky and admit water freely, even in the smallest storm. However, they cannot simply be made watertight, because ventilation from these points is required below. Now, a clever flood barrier has been devised explicitly for these access points. The device is a tube or box that descend down into the ventilation bay or manhole, with a remotely-controlled switch that can be activated to close the box at the bottom. The ventilation bay or manhole is then sealed off by the flood barrier, and it simply fills up without allowing the water into the underground subway tunnels.

Another example are the flexible flood panels that can be deployed over pedestrian stairways leading down into the subway. These lightweight, flexible, yet super-strong flood panels seal off these critical entry points, holding back massive amounts of water that would otherwise go rushing into the station and tunnels.

Although the NYC MTA is performing work and laying plans that is of critical importance to the city, there have been accusations of wastage and redundancy, as the MTA is said to be working independently of the global plan to protect NYC from storm flooding and rising sea levels. In her series entitled Stormproofing the City The Guardian’s Lilah Raptopoulos interviews John O’Grady of the MTA, and he defends his work as necessary and critical. “There’s always the potential for overlap,” he explains, “but sometimes you have to fix things while you’re waiting for that overlap to materialize. And I think the best course of action is for each of these agencies, like Con Edison, Transit, and the Department of Environmental Protection, is to go about fixing and hardening their systems while the global approach works through its necessary environmental and funding process.”

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Project Dryline: Flood Protection Made Beautiful

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, an aggressive planning process was put into place to prevent future disasters in New York City. The process included a competition to design new flood defense projects, and the results were stunning. One of the most interesting and beautiful projects that emerged from this competition has been dubbed the Dryline Project.

The Dryline Project was designed by a Danish firm called the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). The project is extremely ambitious and aesthetically very pleasing. Dryline envisions a green ribbon of inviting parks, paths, and wetlands that cleverly conceal berms, flood barriers, and flood panels that will pop into place in the event of flooding.

Global Holcim Awards Bronze 2015 – “The Dryline”: Urban flood protection infrastructure, New York, NY, USA. BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group (Copenhagen/New York) and One Architecture (Amsterdam), in collaboration with the City of New York, propose a protective ribbon in Southern Manhattan using a series of raised berms and other measures to create public spaces along the water’s edge, forming a large-scale integrated flood protection system.

One of the central features of the plan consists of a series of ‘bridging berms’, that would be installed all around the waterfront, protecting the low-lying areas of Manhattan. It would essentially be a raised berm of earth that is beautifully landscaped with soil-holding vegetation. This green belt of raised earth would serve two purposes: protecting homes and businesses in vulnerable Manhattan, and providing recreational opportunities and beautification of the waterfront areas- to be enjoyed by everyone. Included in the plans are a series of public pools, cycle paths, art spaces, and a multitude of improvements that could become a world-famous tourist attraction- all while providing robust flood protection for the city.

The BIG designers envision the Dryline project as something that will attract people with its recreational and aesthetic appeal, all the while concealing state-of-the-art flood protection that will deploy automatically. During dry conditions, the automatic flood panels will be placed in such a way as to maintain sea views and access to the waterfront. Raised platforms that are actually flood barriers will be used for open community classes such as martial arts or exercise groups.

One interesting aspect of the planned improvements would include a “reverse aquarium” near the waterfront. This aquarium is envisioned as a part of the huge flood-wall that will feature a very thick pane of clear plexiglass, enabling viewers to see the underwater world that exists off the Manhattan shoreline. The reverse aquarium offers seating areas for those wishing to contemplate the undersea vistas, and it also includes signage that explains rising sea levels and the changes wrought by humans upon the planet.

As the planet warms up, hurricanes and destructive storms will become more and more frequent- and more deadly- in the densely populated US East Coast. Projects like Dryline may not fully prevent storm damage, but they will go a long way towards minimizing the impact from these inevitable events. And when the project combines flood protection with beautifully designed pavilions, recreational opportunities, and lovely public green spaces- everyone wins, even during dry weather.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Heavy Rains Cause Flooding in New York Area

Heavy rains in the New York area last month resulted in flash flooding across the region and brought back traumatic memories of Hurricane Sandy for some residents. The boroughs of Staten Island, Queens, and Brooklyn were the most impacted parts of the city, with Newark and Hoboken in neighboring New Jersey also flooded.

Luckily, the storm began on a Sunday evening, lessening the impact to commuters and business. The rate of precipitation was extremely high, with 2 to 3 inches of rain falling every hour while the worst of the tempest passed through the region. Low-lying areas were flooded almost immediately, unable to channel off the water quickly enough. The Daily News reported that one unfortunate man lost his car almost immediately during a flash flood on the Long Island Expressway:

“The car in front of me stopped, so I stopped, and all of a sudden my car filled with water. It rose so quick it was up to my waist in minutes,” said Stephen Mitchell, 67, of Pennsylvania. He said his $135,000 2014 BMW M6 was totaled in floodwaters on the Long Island Expressway near Utopia Parkway late Sunday.

Flash flooding caused closure of major expressways and railroad lines, downed power lines, and caused flight delays at local airports. The rains lessened as Monday dawned on the region, but unfortunately it began to rain again later in the day, and commuters faced the threat of flash floods during the evening hours. By Monday afternoon, the whole city was under a flash flood warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS).

Later in the day, as rains refused to let up, the NWS extended the flood warnings to the entire tri-state area. Land that had already been saturated over the weekend simply ran off the water into choked canals, storm drains, and inundated any low-lying areas. Thousands of homes and businesses were left without power as power lines and trees were downed, and maintenance crews struggled to repair them under dangerous conditions.

One bizarre result of the flooding was the appearance of very large fish swimming through city streets in Newark and Hoboken, as natural rivers and waterways merged with roadways. There were so many fish that officials felt it necessary to release public health warnings to residents to avoid catching or eating the fish, as they may have been exposed to toxic substances during the flooding.

In addition to stranded fish, there were many motorists left surrounded by water on roadways in New Jersey and New York. These roads were dry one minute and flooded the next, taking many drivers by surprise. New York City is a very low-lying metropolis, having been built atop reclaimed swampland, and it is very vulnerable and prone to flooding. This threat will only continue to get worse in the coming decades, as climate change, storm surges, sea level rise, and erosion all collaborate to flood this heavily populated zone time and time again.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 26

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:59:27 GMT

Free Webinar Focuses on Hazard Mitigation

The American Planning Association (APA) and the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) are presenting the second Planning Information Exchange (PIE) webinar, “Climate Change and Adaptation” at 1 pm CT on July 30. PIE is a free eight-part quarterly webinar series focusing on tools, best practices, and strategies on the role of hazard mitigation planning and its connections with recovery planning and preparedness. Click here to Register

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Study finds Midwest flood levels underestimated

The Journal of Earth Science has published a new study from Washington University in St. Louis that says federal agencies are underestimating 100-year flood levels on major rivers in the Midwest by as much as five feet. For businesses in these areas, this should cause serious concern. For most, moving out of the flood zone is not an option. Flood mitigation solutions, such as flood panels, flood doors and flood barriers should be considered to protect buildings and valuable business assets. Click here to read more on the study.

Flood waters inundated parts of Jefferson City, Missouri, and threatened the Missouri State Capitol during the “Great Flood of 1993.” Credit: Wikipedia / Creative Commons

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Project Dryline: Flood Protection Made Beautiful

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Heavy Rains Cause Flooding in New York Area

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 27

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:59:27 GMT

Northeast US Threatened by Increased Flooding

Sea levels are rising at an alarming rate. According to a report in Nature Communications, sea levels on the northeast coast of the U.S. made a dramatic jump in the year 2009-2010. At first glance, the increase of about 128mm (4″) does not seem to be particularly noteworthy. Statistically, however, the sudden increase is very significant. This single-year rise has not been seen at any time during the last 100 years, and is said to be an event that occurs no more than once every 850 years.

Rising sea levels are of critical importance to the millions of residents and business owners that throng this highly-developed region. Any increase in sea level means that storm surges have an ever-increasing toehold on the land where homes, businesses and skyscrapers cling to precarious foundations. The evidence is now almost universally accepted by scientists: climate change is largely responsible for the increase in sea levels.

Sea level rise is affected by many factors. The northeast coast of the U.S. is close to ocean currents that are very strong, fierce and damaging. Ocean currents, changes in wind patterns, the increasing incidence of storms and hurricanes, climate change and global sea level rise combine in ways not fully understood. These factors influence each other and may produce conditions not yet seen or studied. For this reason, a jump in sea level rise could cause far-reaching results that seem grossly out of proportion to the 128mm increase.

There are many theories to explain the sudden sea level rise. The most accepted theory blames the Atlantic Ocean current called the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). When the AMOC slows, weather patterns, erosion patterns and sea levels are affected on both sides of the Atlantic. Scientists predict that the AMOC will continue to slow during this century, increasing the rate of sea level rise for the northeast U.S. coastal regions.

The situation may be worse than predicted by scientists, and must therefore be addressed on a timeline more aggressive than is currently in place.

The New York City Panel on Climate Change earlier this year released a report that foresees a sea level rise of six feet for the New York area during this century. Sea level rise in this zone is already about twice the global average, and much of the metropolis is low lying. FEMA flood maps show how much of the city is at risk for flooding.

The dire prediction inspired quick action by New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio. The mayor announced plans to reduce emissions in New York City by an ambitious 80 percent and unveiled measures that will be put in place to protect his vulnerable city from flooding. “We have a comprehensive, multi-layered resiliency plan that is already making neighborhoods safer,” DeBlasio said.

The city is also investing $30 million in innovative technologies and climate change solutions to at-risk and vulnerable small businesses impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Among the building systems that will be deployed by the city are thin, impact-resistant, modular flood barriers that can be installed quickly and efficiently before a storm event; technology that monitors flood control data in real time to control valves in storm and plumbing systems, preventing critical utility systems from flood inundation; and a system to capture, transfer and deliver natural light to dark interior building spaces. (Click to read the news release).

These actions by New York City are prudent and timely with tropical storms already impacting the east coast before the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season on June 1. Property owners located in coastal zones will need to take prompt action to protect investments and lives. Practical and comprehensive measures should be implemented to defend against the encroaching sea.

###

Tom Osborne is the president of Flood Panel, LLC of Jupiter, Florida (www.floodpanel.com), where he oversees design, development and operations for the manufacture of flood mitigation products for commercial buildings in flood zones nationwide. Tom has worked closely with the Association of Flood Plain Managers nationwide, and specifically in New Jersey, where recovery from major flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy is ongoing. Tom is a member of the Small Business Association of America and is a Certified Provider of Continuing Education for the Architectural Institute of America for Dry Flood Proofing Commercial Buildings.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

New FEMA Law to Affect Home and Business Owners

Flood waters inundated parts of Jefferson City, Missouri, and threatened the Missouri State Capitol during the “Great Flood of 1993.” Credit: Wikipedia / Creative Commons

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Recent Changes to the Flood Insurance Program

Please click on image to view PDF document in a new window.

In April of 2015, changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will be implemented. These changes will bring some minor relief to some, and pain to others. The changes are mandated by the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA), which was passed by Congress in 2014.

After the major storm events that struck the heavily populated US East Coast in the past few years, changes were made to federal flood plain maps. These changes placed thousands of properties newly inside the flood zone, thus requiring them to obtain flood insurance for the first time. The addition of many new properties led insurance companies to raise rates precipitously in 2013, and many homeowners were unable to afford the now-required insurance.

For this reason, Congress decided to modify the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act, which had been passed in 2012. The situation had changed rapidly since the passage of this legislation, and the law now resulted in consequences that had not been intended: onerous and steep increases in insurance rates for homeowners.

The HFIAA will help offer some relief to beleaguered homeowners in the following ways:

Setting rates for allowable increases to insurance policies. The increase in rates for individual homeowners will be capped at 18%.
Some subsidized insurance holders will receive mandatory rate increases, which will lower rates for others.
Properties that have been newly designated as being within flood zones will receive an economical insurance plan for the first year.
A reserve fund will be established to ensure policy coverage in the event of a new, large disaster that produces many claims.

These changes, while helpful, fall far short of the relief many property owners were hoping for. Faced with sudden, newly mandated flood insurance requirements, many homeowners have failed to buy the insurance, or have dropped existing policies when the rates skyrocketed. FEMA, on its website, starkly warns homeowners against this course of action. Properties without flood insurance will not only face the spring flooding season without any protection, but will suffer additional rate increases as a result of dropping the insurance or failing to get new insurance coverage by the deadline.

A quick look at the “relief provisions” of the HFIAA reveals the dire situation that many homeowners are facing. For example, the HFIAA caps rate increases to ‘only’ 18% … but that is still a huge and unaffordable increase for many households. Although the US economy is said to be strong, and unemployment is low, wages have not kept pace with rising costs, and many families are still struggling.

In the same vein, although the HFIAA does provide “economical” rates for new policies, but these reduced rates are in effect for the first year only — after which the homeowner will face the 18% increase in rates. In summary, it appears that the HFIAA changes, while better than nothing, will still leave many property owners in a very difficult position.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

New Executive Order Regarding Floodplains in Comment Phase

The new Executive Order (EO) 13690, enacted by President Obama earlier this year, is currently in the public comment phase. Comments from builders, floodplain managers, city officials, or members of the general public will be heard until the date of April 6, 2015.

After that date, the comments will be sifted and considered, and changes to the EO will be included in the final legislation. EO 13690 will amend the previous EO 11988, which went into effect decades ago. The climate of the planet has changed since the enactment of the earlier EO, and these changes are now better understood by the scientific community.

It is now generally agreed that human activity is changing the climate of the planet, and that these changes are occurring much faster than previously thought. In order to protect public investment for infrastructure and new projects, these ventures must now meet guidelines designed to protect the building sites well into the future.

The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFM) is currently asking its members, community members, and any other interested parties to weigh in on the proposed EO. Comments may be registered at this website (click on image to visit in a new window):

Click here to open web page in a new window

To make a comment, simply click on the green box that reads “Submit a Formal Comment”

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 28

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:59:27 GMT

Will New Flood Barriers Hold?

This last year there has been frequent flooding in the major river basins across the US Midwest. The Mississippi River hovered at or above flood stage for weeks, leaving residents in a state of constant vigilance and anxiety. Above-average precipitation caused more than inconvenience for many people — it caused life-threatening floods and property damage.

The area of St. Paul-Minneapolis was particularly hard hit. In this region, rainfall smashed the previous precipitation record set in the year 1965 — by almost four full inches. Many residents were weary of constant flood alerts and viewed new rainstorms with exasperation and disbelief. After a grueling winter of “polar vortex” conditions, they were not happy to have a blighted summer as well.

Meanwhile, authorities along major rivers were installing flood barriers and watching spillways with growing alarm. Floodwaters can be contained as long as they do not breach the spillways, but levels were very high — close to overflow. Any new rainstorms may well put water levels at uncontainable heights, and flooding will follow.

Des Moines River on June 13, 2008. The river rose at an alarming rate that prompted Des Moines officials to call for a voluntary evacuation. The river topped at 31.57 feet, falling short of the record high of 31.71 feet set on July 11, 1993. Photo by Ted Taber.

Many areas were already underwater from incessant summer storms. Low-lying neighborhoods along the Mississippi, Missouri, and Iowa Rivers were inundated. Streets became streams, and homes were submerged. Many buildings on the edge of the flooding installed sandbags and other types of flood barriers, hoping that the skies would remain sunny and blue long enough for the water levels to recede. Some areas were evacuated, and others were on high alert.

People living and working in these areas were highly anxious about the situation because they can remember all too well the disastrous flooding of just six years earlier. The floods of 2008 struck the same river basins that are being threatened now, and caused many billions of dollars in damages, as well as devastating loss of life and livelihood. Although many new flood defenses are now in place, these measures have not yet been tested “under fire”.

The major rivers of the United States have always been both a boon and a threat to the many cities and communities that hug their banks. Flooding along these great waterways is nothing new, but after the incredible damage wreaked by the floods of 2008, protections have been beefed up, and improvements to the system of locks and flood barriers have been implemented.

During the month of July 2014, many flood barriers and spillways were already at their maximum capacity, and any new rainfall could have sorely taxed the capacity of these defenses. At this point, a summer version of last winter’s “polar vortex” was approaching, and weather analysts predicted that more precipitation was just around the corner.

This scenario has become increasingly common. It is a race with dire consequences: will water levels recede in time to safely admit more water? Will the polar vortex arrive with major rainstorms and flooding? Will the new flood barriers hold back a disaster? Nervous residents await the answers as they contemplate whether more preparations will be required.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

New Executive Order to Change Floodplain Management Policy

On January 30, 2015, President Obama signed Executive Order 13690, a move that will have far-reaching effects on federal and local flood management, community building policies, and the insurance industry. The new Executive Order (EO) will amend and replace the previous EO regarding federal Floodplain Management, which was established in the year 1977.

This new EO will detail three new methods that federal agencies may use to designate the flood hazard or risk of a new construction project site. These methods are:

Project to be constructed at least two feet above the historical 100-year flood mark. Crucial structures such as hospitals or emergency facilities must be three feet above this mark.
Scientific data, including the latest climate change information, must be incorporated into the decision-making and planning process.
The project must be built on or above the 500-year flood mark.

This new EO will be subject to a 60-day public review period, during which time public meetings will be held to gather comments and ideas from citizens and community officials. This input will be considered when finalizing the new guidelines, which will begin to be implemented 30 days after the close of the public review process.

The new EO applies only to federally funded projects. The idea behind the order is to ensure that new infrastructure projects are built to last, and that they will be prepared to withstand conditions that may exist in the future, a future that may be radically altered by climate change. Given that flooding is the most expensive hazard to our national infrastructure, it seems prudent to require that new projects be able to weather threats both present and future.

As with any new guidelines, however, there are those who are disgruntled about the ramifications for themselves or their community. Areas of very low elevation, as may be commonly found in Louisiana and Florida, will find it very difficult — in some cases impossible — to comply with the new guidelines. U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and David Vitter (R-La.), have, along with six other Republican representatives, signed a letter to President Obama questioning the legitimacy and feasibility of the new order.

Meanwhile, federally-funded projects that are already underway must be halted in order to assess compliance with the new guidelines. In order to continue receiving federal funding, will the projects be required to comply, or will they be “grandfathered”? This is just one of the questions that must be answered in the coming months. The guidelines are expected to be reviewed, commented upon, modified, finalized, and implemented by mid-May of this year.

Click here to read the official White House press release in a new window.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

Boston Considers Allowing Water In …

Hurricane Sandy was a disaster for much of the eastern seaboard, with the cities of New York and New Jersey particularly hard-hit. The city of Boston was also in line for a direct hit, but was saved by something the other two cities lacked that day: pure luck.

The hurricane hit Boston with fury, and left a lot of downed trees and utility poles. Property damage was considerable, but nowhere near the devastation seen in other areas. It was not thanks to foresight and planning that Boston was spared; rather, the city experienced a stroke of luck courtesy of Mother Nature, and this luck saved the city.

Had Superstorm Sandy struck but a few hours earlier, it would have been a much different story. About four hours before the storm struck Boston, there was a full-moon high tide that had raised water levels to near-capacity in the city’s water control infrastructure. Had the hurricane arrived during this time, Boston would have been submerged by deep floods, and would still be recovering today from the after effects.

This near-miss episode has motivated Boston to do some deep thinking about protecting the city from future storms. As any city that faces the Atlantic Ocean, there are a lot of weak points and vulnerability. Flood barriers and levees can do only so much in a worst-case scenario. If a large storm strikes during a high tide, flood barriers are likely to be breached.

Today Boston is considering using a different tactic: letting the water in … in a controlled way. For centuries, the country of Holland has been using this method with admirable results, and many municipalities in the US are taking note. One of the proposals on the table for Boston is to develop a system of of canals that would not only help to defend the city from storm surges, but would enhance the recreational and aesthetic value of the downtown area.

Back Bay and Charles River, Boston, Massachusetts

This novel idea emerged from brainstorming sessions that included city planners, architects, and citizens, and has captivated many as being a particularly pleasing solution to the threat of inundation. If implemented, the plan could turn Boston into the “Venice of the East Coast”, and could augment tourism and recreational opportunities for local residents.

The proposed system of waterways and canals would form a mesh through an area of Boston called Back Bay, which was once a marshy wetland before it was filled in and developed during the middle of the nineteenth century. Areas like Back Bay, of course, are particularly at risk during storms, as it seems that water has a memory of where it used to be and seeks to return.

At this time, the pricey neighborhoods of Back Bay are only about four feet above sea level, and will be underwater by the end of this century unless a solution is put into place. The proposal to build scenic canals is only one of many hypothetical solutions for the metropolis of Boston, and it may be that more than one plan will be required to protect this venerable city. One thing is certain, however: if no action is taken now, Boston will one day suffer the fate of her sister cities during the next Superstorms.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

Funding Made Available for Community Reconstruction in the New York area

In response to Hurricane Sandy and other recent devastating flood events, the New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program (NYRCRP) has made available funding for impacted communities in the New York area. The program is intended to offer reconstruction and revitalization assistance to communities that were affected by Hurricanes Sandy, Irene, and Lee. Current funding limit is set at $25 million per approved project, with an overall budget of about $650 million for planning and implementation.

In order to receive funding from the NYRCRP, each community was required to form a planning committee that evaluated the damages from the storms, determined areas of future risk, and sorted through proposed improvements to select the plan best suited to protecting and repairing the community. The grant amounts range between $3 million to $25 million. The NYRCRP also works with the local planning committees to identify other funding sources to supplement the federal funding.

Lessons learned from past storm recovery projects indicated that “bottom-up” planning would be most effective for future projects, so emphasis was placed on community participation. Ordinary community members have been encouraged to participate in the process by attending the meetings.

There are five regions that are eligible:

Capital Region/North Country/Mohawk Valley

Catskills/Hudson Valley

Long Island

New York City

Southern Tier/Central New York

Each of these regions has many different community plans, with a total of more than 102 localities. The region of Long Island, for example, has more than 20 different plans that have been approved. In this posting, we will take a look at two of the plans that have been proposed for the Long Island district.

In the community of East Rockaway, which has been repeatedly flooded over the years, there are many homes that had to be abandoned during Superstorm Sandy. Many of these homes remain empty to this day, having been badly damaged by the storm. The exact number of derelict homes is not public information due to privacy laws, but it is a substantial number. This community has decided on the following plans to protect themselves from future flooding:

Construction of a large flood barrier, a dike, around the entire sewer treatment plant to provide protection against the ‘500-year storm’ events and to account for anticipated sea level rise.

Elevating and hardening the Electrical Plant Distribution System and repairing existing generators to take the plant off of temporary power.

Elevating as many as 57 pump stations that serve one million residents to protect from floods.

The community of West Islip was also hit hard by recent storms. With a large area that faces the bay and ocean, it takes a beating with every storm, but hurricanes are particularly dreadful. Low elevation, lack of natural flood barriers, and oceanfront exposure all combine to make this community very vulnerable. Some of the plans proposed for this community include:

Funding of incentive grants or low-interest loans for residents in risk areas to build resiliency into their homes, e.g., raising home elevations, improving flood barriers, and installation of wind-resistant windows for a more storm-proof home.

Restoring and nurturing natural flood barriers such as marshes, dunes, and wetlands.

Protection and restoration of barrier islands.

The many plans proposed for NYRCRP funding will go all long way to repairing these battered communities, and will help protect critical infrastructure not only from future storms, but from rising sea levels. Both of these threats must be addressed in order to mitigate or prevent future disasters in these vulnerable communities. More information may be found on the NYRCRP site:

http://stormrecovery.ny.gov/ community-reconstruction-program

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 29

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:59:27 GMT

Buffalo Braces for Floods After Massive Snowfall

The city of Buffalo, New York is well known for major snowfalls that make the evening news, and the city is often remembered by video clips of residents shoveling out from several feet of snow. This year is no exception, but the difference is that the snowfall came very early, and very heavy. In some parts of western New York State, almost eleven feet of snow has accumulated after several back-to-back storms battered the area.

A lake effect snow storm hit areas south of Buffalo, New York during the third week of November, 2014. Photo by Anthony Quintano via Wikimedia Commons

Buffalo is well used to big snowfalls, but this year’s early, huge snowfall is being closely followed by a warming trend that is sending temperatures soaring into the 60’s. It is feared that this very sudden warming will send dangerous floods coursing through the streets. At this writing, a flood alert is in effect for a large chunk of the state, and many are worried that the floods will overwhelm most flood defenses.

As if all of this is not bad enough, strong winds of up to 60 mph are currently battering the zone, with many trees expected to fall victim. This will result in downed power lines, which in turn means sump pump failure in many homes and businesses. Floods on a massive scale appear imminent, with most local meteorologists saying that major floods are now a certainty.

Authorities have issued guidelines for what to do before and during the floods. It is likely that many residents will be forced to evacuate homes that are at low elevations, and people are being advised to prepare for the worst. Homeowners throughout the area are advised to elevate furnaces and water heaters in their basements, and to set up generators or battery back-up for sump pumps.

Buffalo is well-equipped for snow removal, but how well is the city prepared for floods? City residents are about to find out the answer to this question. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is on the scene in Buffalo warning residents of major, dangerous floods. The Governor was widely criticized for his perceived weak performance during Hurricanes Sandy and Irene, and is eager to project a firm image with this new disaster.

Cuomo is exhorting all residents to stay alert, and to evacuate promptly if conditions require. He also points out that the snowmelt is far from pure: “It’s not water,” Cuomo reminds citizens. “It’s a toxic brew. It has sewage in it; it has runoff in it.” As Buffalo braces for the worst, Governor Cuomo and many others are hoping for the best.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

Flood Protection: Best Practices for Businesses

If the site is in an area of low to medium flood risk, less stringent protections may be utilized. One of the most important steps is to ensure that valuable items are stored in an elevated location. For example, an electronics shop located in a flood plain would ideally have automatic flood panels that will protect the inventory around the clock. Even so, the valuable stock should be kept high off the floor, in store rooms on the higher floors, rather than in a basement.

Flood panels, removable or automatic, can easily protect the premises from waters a meter high or more. These panels give the business owner valuable time to move the inventory to a safer location, and will greatly reduce risk — as well as flood insurance premiums.

No matter how well protected, there are catastrophic events that may overwhelm even the most prepared business. In this case, a second line of defense is required. In this situation, a business owner must be prepared to save inventory and equipment by raising it above the water level. This requires advance planning! The business should be equipped with shelves and storage areas high above the historic floodwater levels. Flood panels or barriers can buy the time needed to relocate the valuable items, but there must be a safe place to store the items until the water recedes.

After the floodwaters drain away, a prudent business owner must be prepared for major cleanup. If the owner is well-prepared and/or lucky, most of the inventory has been saved. Now the hard work of cleaning up the mess begins. Will you, as the business owner, be looking up flood damage services on the Internet along with hundreds or thousands of others? Or will you have made arrangements in advance with a reliable service that will put your business first in that long waiting list for emergency cleanup services? Advance planning,

As is evidenced by the recent significant expansion of the FEMA floodplain maps, flood risk is on the increase nationwide. It does not matter whether the increased risk is from climate change, new construction in risky areas, or sea level rise. The fact remains that more and more properties are now located in areas of high flood risk, and the threat of flood loss to residential and business property alike is increasing.

While many business owners rightfully fear and protect against fire damage and loss, it is in fact much more likely that the business will suffer flood-related loss than fire-related loss. And yet, many businesses are woefully under-protected for flood damage! In this week’s post, we will examine some ways that prudent business owners can proactively defend their property against flood loss.

The first step might be to assess the area in which the property is located. If the property is located within the FEMA floodplain map, strong flood prevention measures should be taken. These may include the installation of automatic flood barriers or flood panels, construction of protective berms, or even moving the business to a safer zone.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Flood Barriers Improved Along Major Rivers

Flooding during the months of June and July in the year 2008 devastated great swaths of the US Midwest and forever changed lives in that region. Heavy precipitation in the preceding weeks caused major rivers to swell beyond their banks, breaching levees and other flood barriers. Neighborhoods were underwater for weeks at a time, and damage was estimated in the tens of billions. In addition to the financial impact, 13 lives were lost to the floods.

Washington, D.C., June 20, 2008 — FEMA Deputy Administrator and Chief Operating Officer Harvey Johnson (c) held a press conference on the Midwest floods along with officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, the US Dept of Agriculture, US Army Corps of Engineers, USDA and other federal partners at FEMA Headquarters. Glen Keppy (r), Farm Service Agency Associate Administrator for Programs, USDA, Ed Hecker (l), US Army Corps of Engineers. Bill Koplitz/FEMA

In the six years since that horrible summer, much has been done to prevent a repeat of the destruction. Since flooding is a natural and inevitable event, much of the new work is intended to tame, rather than to prevent floods.

One of the most obvious and important features of the recent improvement efforts has been to improve the flow of the major rivers. This is done in many ways. Dredging of channels is a fundamental improvement, and one that is an ongoing project. After a major flooding event, river basins are usually left full of debris, sediment, and vegetation. All this debris must be cleared and removed. The invasive vegetation is uprooted and destroyed, and sediment must be relocated. Sometimes the sediment may be used in the construction of levees and embankments.

Another recent improvement focus has been on a technique called “daylighting”. In this process, pipes and tubes that had been previously placed underground have been opened up to the sky. During the floods of 2008, many of these pipes were overwhelmed, and contributed to the flooding problem because they were blocked, clogged, or just too small in diameter. Now, many of these waterways have been “day lighted”, enabling them to channel more water during critical moments.

Levees and other flood barriers around the major US rivers have now been rebuilt and beefed up. New dams have been built where needed, and low-lying communities have been provided with berms and flood defenses. This is no small undertaking- the system of levees and other flood barriers for the Mississippi River alone is over 2000 miles long!

In addition to the bank-side levees, a system of setback levees have been put into place. These are levees that are far from the river — in some cases by as much as five miles. During a major flood, the river breeches its immediate levees and is permitted to inhabit the land up to the secondary, or setback levees.

In spite of the best efforts of the US Army Corps of Engineers, floods are never completely controllable, and a sturdy system of levees and other flood barriers can sometimes increase the risk of a major disaster. This happens because the natural floodplains are eventually subjected to development — since these areas are usually dry, the temptation to build homes and businesses overwhelms common sense. People seem to feel that the levees will forever protect them from disaster, but that is not the case. Floods will inevitably occur, and levees will inevitably be breeched. For this reason, natural floodplains should never be developed, but rather maintained as an important defense against catastrophic flooding.

The major rivers of the US Midwest will flood again and again throughout history. This fact cannot be altered. But the recent improvements along the rivers’ routes will help to prevent loss of life and alleviate property damage for a few years at least. Then it will be time to do it all again.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

Hurricane Norbert Causes Flash Floods in Southwest US

Flash floods last week in the states of Arizona and Nevada have smashed records and have caused major damage and chaos throughout the region. Two people in the Tucson area died as a result of the flooding, including a 76-year-old woman who was swept away after her car was lifted by the rushing water.

Another woman was killed when her car was completely submerged on a flooded road. Rescuers tried desperately to free her in time, but the woman was already dead when they managed to pull her from the car. The roiling water that covered this road was said to be up to 12 feet deep.

In addition to countless surface roads affected by the flooding, a large section of I-15 was completely washed away, leading to horrific traffic snarls and impeding the movement of rescue vehicles. The Governor of Arizona immediately declared a state of emergency, and schools were closed in an attempt to minimize loss of life.

September 5 2014, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, LANCE-MODIS

The flooding is being blamed on Hurricane Norbert, which formed near Mexico and then moved north in an uncharacteristic fashion. The storm was still dangerous for days, moving northeast, bringing flooding and dangerous conditions to other areas as meteorologists had predicted.

In Phoenix, precipitation records that go back to the year 1895 were smashed. The area recorded more rainfall in one 24-hour period than has ever before been recorded — with more rain in that one day than the area usually records in the entire months of July, August, and September. The total precipitation for the day was 3.29 inches, while the record from the previous record-holding year, 1895, was 2.91 inches.

While 3 inches of rain does not sound like enough precipitation to cause the kind of massive damage that occurred that week, it must be remembered that in this type of arid topography, any rain that falls immediately runs off the land — it simply cannot be absorbed by the rock-dry ground. Although the cities of Tucson and Phoenix have put flood barriers and run-off channels into place, theses defenses were nearly overwhelmed. During this storm, several critical dams and other flood barriers came within inches of being breached. The fact that the flood barriers held up prevented many more deaths in the region.

While these regions typically struggle with seasonal monsoons, the monsoon rains are usually more localized and do not affect all of the region at once. With a large area affected, there is nowhere for the run-off to go; this is what caused the disaster during that week. It does not bear thinking about what would have happened had the region not had flood barriers and run-off channels in place. A major disaster occurred in Nevada and Arizona, but it could have been much, much worse.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

Page 30

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:59:27 GMT

Long Island Suffers Record-Breaking Storm

Records were broken last month as massive amounts of rain swamped parts of Long Island. During the 24-hour period beginning on the morning of Wednesday, August 13, 2014, more rain fell than during any similar period in recorded history. At the weather station on Long Island, more than 13″ of rain was recorded.

Unfortunately, this rainfall occurred before and during morning rush hour traffic, and caused widespread havoc and panic as cars actually floated on the roads. One driver was killed during the chaos, and numerous traffic accidents added to the logjam.

Vehicles attempt to maneuver down a flooded Montauk Highway in Babylon, N.Y., Wednesday August 13, 2014. The National Weather Service reported that parts of Long Island experienced record-setting rainfall in a 24 hour period. In one community, more than 13 inches of rain was reported. (AP Photo/Frank Eltman)

The storm resulted in large-scale damage across a wide swath of the island, affecting homeowners and businesses alike. Streams and rivers flooded universally, and any properties near these waterways were likely to have flooding and damage.

Sinkholes were also a problem, and in one town a car narrowly avoided being swallowed up by a sudden chasm in the road. More than 50 people had to be rescued by emergency personnel when their cars became stranded or stalled by floodwaters. One motorist, whose car was mired in almost six feet of swirling water, had to be saved when his car began to fill with water.

With hundreds of cars abandoned on streets and highways, navigation was extremely difficult and dangerous. At times, the abandoned cars would be picked up and carried by the current, creating a threat to emergency vehicles trying to move through the water on rescue missions. Boats were required to rescue people who were stranded in the middle of “lakes” that had formed where parking lots had stood just hours or even minutes before.

Flash flooding was a problem throughout much of Long Island, and quickly turned highways into rivers. Although the storm largely avoided populous New York City, other parts of New York were affected, as well as parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. Damage to homes and businesses was severe in some areas. A few very unlucky people who had experienced total loss of their homes during Hurricane Sandy suffered major damage to their new homes in this storm.

Many outlying suburbs were very hard-hit by flash flooding, resulting in widespread property damage. Unless flood barriers were in place, any low-lying area became an instant lake, up to several feet deep in some places. Trucks with snowplows attached could be seen pushing water out of apartment parking lots in an effort to minimize flooding at the property.

The storm was so severe that parts of Long Island and surrounding environs were forced to declare a state of emergency, freeing up funds to pay for rescue personnel and equipment. Once again, Long Island and other low-lying communities felt the full fury of nature, as storm-driven flooding swept through these districts. And once again, thoughts now turn to flood barriers and other methods of prevention … for the next storm.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

First Hurricane of 2014 Season Diminished Quickly

Hatteras Island Flooding (Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard)

The first hurricane of the 2014 season, Hurricane Arthur, was initially feared and dreaded as it barreled up the same path taken by the infamous Hurricane Sandy a year ago. It made landfall near the State of North Carolina, and left tens of thousands of people without power. The popular resort island of Cape Hatteras was under mandatory evacuation, spoiling the vacations of thousands of visitors, and impacting tourism-related businesses on the busiest holiday of the summer season.

In the end, the hurricane moved through quickly, and did not dump the expected amount of rain, before veering northeast- back over the Atlantic Ocean. This was the best possible scenario for this event, and the heavily populated northeastern US coast was spared an ugly repeat of last year’s disaster. The storm then weakened to a Category I, and did not greatly impact other states as it moved offshore towards Canada.

North Carolina, however, did not escape unscathed. More than 44,000 homes were left without power, and there was widespread flooding. The flooding impacted not only coastal residents, but those living near streams and rivers, as the storm surge pushed massive amounts of water into the riparian zones far from the ocean.

One resident, according to a news report, could barely see the tip of the six-foot tall lamppost at the end of his driveway — the rest was underwater. In these low-lying areas, even a “mild” hurricane can inflict unimaginable property damage and millions of dollars in damage and lost income. The holiday weekend was particularly important from an economic standpoint, as frequent hurricanes during the past three years have been hammering the tourism industry.

The area most impacted by Hurricane Arthur was the Outer Banks region, including Hatteras, which was under mandatory evacuation orders. Some parts of these islands received over 8 inches of rain in a brief period of time; leading to floods, beach erosion, and downed power lines. Instead of enjoying fireworks on the Fourth of July, residents and business owners were desperately cleaning up in an effort to salvage some of the all-important holiday business.

In addition to the hurricane and the accompanying floods, several tornados were spawned by the storm. These eventually disappeared, and for the most part, the storm passed by the US eastern seaboard with relatively little damage — particularly compared to other recent storms. The good news is that people seem to have learned from Hurricane Sandy, and they took the storm seriously and got out of the way. Still, a few reckless surfers were seen heading to the beach with boards in tow.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

The World’s First Flood Barriers

Throughout human history, flooding has been both a gift and a curse. The ancient civilizations that grew up in Egypt and Mesopotamia would not have developed the way they did without flooding. Both of these areas suffered — and benefited — from regular flooding.

Egypt was lucky enough to have flooding that was gradual, regular, and predictable. The Nile River, after swelling with rain runoff from central Africa, would flood the surrounding countryside and then recede, leaving black loamy soil that was bursting with fertility. Because of the rich fertility of the flood lands, it was possible to build up a surplus of food, enabling the people to turn their attention to other endeavors, such as art, music, and religion. The Nile was therefore seen as a beneficent force in the lives of ancient Egyptians.

First Suez Canal dug by the pharaoh Sesostris I in 1960 BC. Inspired by a map from the book “Suez & Panama” by Benedict Heimermann, Arthaud edition. Author: Annie Brocolie

Sumerians, on the other hand, came to view their rivers as a dreadful scourge. Nestled between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the land formerly called Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) was a huge floodplain that endured frequent and often devastating floods, dominating all aspects of life. It is here that two of the most famous flood myths —the stories of Noah and Gilgamesh — originated. Although science tells us that these floods were not global, they must have seemed that way to those suffering through them.

Both the Egyptians and the Sumerians learned to use their rivers for irrigation and for soil replenishment. The Egyptians, blessed with predictable and relatively benign flood patterns, learned to coexist with the flooding — moving to higher ground in advance of the flood season. The Sumerians were forced to develop strategies for taming and controlling their unpredictable rivers; and it was here that the first artificial flood barriers evolved.

A river that floods regularly will produce natural levees in the form of elevated banks. Heavy soil and material builds up along the edges of the river, leaving the lighter silts to spread across the floodplain during an inundation. The Sumerians, living on their vast floodplain, observed that the embankments provided some protection, and began to build their homes on these natural levees. Later, they built artificial mounds out on the floodplain to elevate and protect their homes. But even this was not enough to tame the destruction of the unpredictable flooding, so gradually the Sumerian people honed their skills, becoming one of the first known groups to build dams, canals, and flood barriers.

The Sumerian flood control projects were massive, even by today’s standards. Huge flood barriers and embankments were built all along the banks of the two mighty rivers — essentially, thousands of miles of flood barriers were put into place. Canals and floodgates governed the flow of water for irrigation in times of dry weather, and helped to channel floodwaters during rainy times. These were the first known man made flood barriers in all the world.

Today we have many types of flood barriers — both natural and artificial. From natural berms and dunes to fully automatic flood panels, options now exist for almost any type of situation and environment. But all these flood-control methods owe at least some debt to the ancient Sumerian culture — the first people known to attempt to tame the floods.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Flood Losses May Quadruple by 2050

Many coastal US cities face astronomical flood loss bills every year. For example, the average yearly cost of flooding in New Orleans is $1,583,000,000, in New York it is $1,960,000,000, and in Miami it is a whopping $2,099,000,000. These three cities alone account for the vast majority of flood loss costs in the US each year.

Analysts for the OECD (Organisation for Economic and Co-operation Development) ranked major cities in terms of population and ‘assets’ to a 1-in-100 year flood event now and in the future.

As daunting as these sums may seem, they are dwarfed by the bills that have been projected for the future, as sea levels rise and more assets continue to be packed into these desirable areas. A recent study has concluded that flood losses in US coastal cities may well quadruple by the year 2050, unless stringent efforts are made to ameliorate the risks.

In fact, the three cities mentioned above will account for a staggering 31% of all losses GLOBALLY unless extreme measures are taken to defend them against the floods of the future. By all estimates and computer projections, the floods of the future will increase by an order of magnitude of up to 50. This means that coastal cities must now prepare to defend themselves against storms that are many times more destructive than hurricanes Sandy or Katrina.

Failure to prepare for these future super-storms will result in crippling losses that can break the global economy. Without making changes, by simply going along with the present level of flood protection, flood damages will soon be measured in the trillions of dollars, rather than millions.

Conversely, if US cities plan well and adequately prepare for the coming challenges, flood losses may be held at reasonable levels. With proper flood protection measures in place, losses could be kept as low as $50 million in the year 2050. These studies clearly tell us that flood protection, prevention, and preparation is many times cheaper than cleaning up the mess after a major storm. Upgrading flood defenses will provide a huge economic payoff, while complacency could literally destroy major economies.

Experts agree that flood preparation and prevention is crucial to the survival of coastal cities. Sea level rise, coupled with ever-increasing population and, in some cases, the tendency of some low-lying areas such as New Orleans and Miami to actually sink- presents a major threat to financial assets and human life. Defenses will need to include flood barriers, sea walls and levees, pumping and bilging, and very stringent planning for new construction.

There are many aphorisms that express this prudent approach: ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ or ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. When it comes to preparing for the mammoth storms that are certain to pound the coastlines in the coming decades, these aphorisms hold a wealth of wisdom. The real challenge will be to make sure preventive measures are already in place BEFORE the storms arrive.

Source: http://www.floodbarrierusa.com/

Page 16

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:39:00 GMT

Hurricane Matthew’s Path of Destruction

Hurricane Matthew, which struck the southeastern US in early October of 2016, was no ordinary weather disaster. Although this storm will probably not go down in history competing with the infamous reputations and death tolls of Katrina or Sandy, its destruction and aftereffects have still not completely abated — several weeks after the storm passed! Matthew may well become infamous in its own right as the storm with the longest-lasting flooding, and over a vast area.

Most people who do not live in the Carolinas have little idea that the destruction is still impacting that zone. They may have read about the storm in the papers, may have seen the incredible rescue videos on TV, but now they assume that the situation has come under control. This is very far from the truth! A full two weeks after Hurricane Matthew passed through, there were some areas that were still experiencing the type of severe flooding that one would expect during the storm, not many days later.

This image shows the amount of rainfall dropped by Hurricane Matthew over the life and track of the storm. IMERG real time data covering the period from Sept. 28 through Oct. 10, 2016 show rainfall from Hurricane Matthew before and after its interaction with a frontal boundary. Matthew caused extreme rainfall in North Carolina resulting in over 20 inches (508 mm) of rain. Credits: NASA/JAXA, Hal Pierce

Here is how this storm came to tear through the Carolinas:

Hurricane Matthew formed off the coast of Africa in late September. It started as a routine tropical storm, but organized itself into a tight knot and gathered strength over the Atlantic until it had intensified into a furious Cat 5 monster of a hurricane, with winds estimated at an incredible 160 mph. Luckily, the storm weakened a bit before slamming into Haiti, where it nevertheless caused hundreds of deaths and a massive humanitarian crisis that will take many years for recovery.

After raking across Haiti, the storm plowed through the northern half of Florida, across Georgia, and then set upon the Carolinas. It is here where many factors collided to produce conditions of hellish and lingering devastation. Firstly, the unimaginable volume of water was mind-boggling: some areas recorded more than a foot of precipitation, which was added to an extremely dangerous storm surge that joined forces with a naturally-occurring high tide — all of which produced a veritable nightmare along the coasts. Fortunately, authorities were able to provide timely warnings of Matthew’s approach, and mandatory evacuation orders saved an untold number of lives. The recommended evacuation zone in South Carolina was for all residents living within a full 100-miles from the coast! In spite of preemptive measures, mandatory evacuations, and early declarations of emergency, 46 people still lost their lives in the US.

After Hurricane Matthew had finished its slow path across the Carolinas, it skirted through part of Virginia and then headed back into the Atlantic. However, the aftereffects of the storm continued to plague storm victims through mid-October and beyond. Millions of residents were left without power, many people who needed emergency services died when help could not arrive, rescues numbered in the thousands, livestock drowned, and countless buildings were swept away. The incredible amount of precipitation from the hurricane storm was augmented by other, lesser storms that moved into the area directly after the hurricane, at a time when the sodden ground was incapable of further absorption. Dams and sea walls that had failed or collapsed during the hurricane released more and more water into the ravaged region. The main interstate highway, I-95, which connects and serves the entire East Coast, was closed with detours of over 100 miles in some areas! In what will clearly illustrate the scope of this disaster, authorities expected that some stretches of this vital highway would remain closed for weeks.

Hurricane Matthew, as devastating as it was, might have been worse in the US if it had struck at its full intensity. Even so, the flooding and water damage will likely cost in the neighborhood of $5.2 billion, and will earn it a place among the worst of the worst.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Hurricane Matthew’s Path of Destruction

Here is how this storm came to tear through the Carolinas:

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

New FEMA Proposal Details Plans for EO13690 and Federal Flood Risk Management Standard

Hurricane Matthew is now long gone, having swept through the Caribbean and the southeast U.S. coastal zone in early October. But the damage and financial impact of this storm is far from resolved, and early estimates indicate that the storm may be one of the most expensive disasters on record, with estimates of damages in the neighborhood of $10.6 billion. This puts Hurricane Matthew among the top ten most expensive storms in modern history.

Hurricane Matthew slammed the US coastline after inflicting utter devastation in the Caribbean, especially in Haiti, which was already reeling from a series of natural disasters and epidemics that have weakened the vulnerable island nation. Financial experts estimate that had Matthew struck the US coast with the same intensity that it hit Haiti, the economic damages might have reached $2 trillion. At full strength, Hurricane Matthew was a terrifying Cat-5 storm, and it left a massive trail of death and destruction in its wake. Although the power of the storm had lessened before it made landfall in the US, it nevertheless inflicted loss of life, tremendous suffering, and severe financial loss across a wide swath of the southeastern coast.

Surprisingly, this severe financial loss is something that is increasingly being debated by economists. At first glance, it may seem extremely obvious that hurricanes and similar natural disasters inflict long-lasting damage to the economy. However, a growing opinion among financial experts maintains that just the opposite may be true: that these storms in many cases end up being a wash, or may even have a positive impact on the economy when all factors are weighed in the final analysis. These experts maintain that severe storms may actually inject new vitality into the economy by creating jobs, replacing the outdated infrastructure that was destroyed by the storm, and by stimulating new investment and business opportunities during the reconstruction phase of the disaster.

A new study, however, has debunked this theory. Two economists, Solomon Hsiang of Berkley and Amir Jina of Columbia, recently released the findings of their exhaustive study of the long-term financial impact of over 6,700 cyclones. They found that these disasters inflicted financial damages that lasted decades after the storms had passed, and that there was no silver lining when the final tallies were made. While it is certainly true that some well-placed industries or companies may benefit financially from storms, the overall effect for the economy at large remains negative.

The same study also projected that given the increasing frequency of severe storms, the world’s economy will most likely suffer extreme losses in the coming decades- losses so severe that the financial impact could dwarf the losses produced by banking crises, currency crises, or even civil wars. The Hsiang/Jina team concluded that efforts to control global warming must become a top priority — not only for environmental and health reasons, but because of the enormous impact to the economy of more frequent and more severe storms.

(Source: http://www.nber.org/papers/w20352)

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Flood Panel Announces First National Corporate Partner to Meet Demand for Flood Protection

Flood Panel LLC is excited to announce our first national corporate partner, National Flood Protection, LLC of Norwich, Connecticut. With comprehensive flood mitigation services for commercial buildings nationwide, National Flood Protection can supply, install and provide consultation services to Flood Panel customers anywhere in the U.S.

Flood Panel’s partnership with National Flood Protection will allow us to meet the growing demand for flood protection across the country fueled by the rising cost and frequency of flooding events due to sea level rise and extreme weather events.

Page 17

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:39:00 GMT

Hurricane Matthew’s Path of Destruction

Here is how this storm came to tear through the Carolinas:

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Hurricane Matthew’s Path of Destruction

Here is how this storm came to tear through the Carolinas:

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

New FEMA Proposal Details Plans for EO13690 and Federal Flood Risk Management Standard

FEMA has proposed a new rule that details specific actions it will take to implement EO 13690 and the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (found here). According to an alert sent by the Association of Floodplain Managers to its members:

“The policy would provide specific guidelines to implement the FFRMS for FEMA federally-funded projects, which are actions involving the use of FEMA funds for new construction, substantial improvement, or to address substantial damage to a structure or facility.

The policy would select the use of the FFRMS-Freeboard Value Approach to establish the elevation and FFRMS floodplain for FEMA federally-funded projects that are non-critical actions. For FEMA federally-funded projects that are critical actions, the policy would select the use of the FFRMS-Freeboard Value Approach to establish the minimum FFRMS elevation and floodplain for critical actions.

The policy would allow optional use of the FFRMS-Climate-Informed Science Approach to establish the elevation and FFRMS floodplain for critical actions, but only if the elevation established under the FFRMS-CISA is higher than the elevation established under the FFRMS-Freeboard Value Approach. The policy would also encourage early coordination when multiple federal agencies are jointly engaged in an action to ensure a consistent approach to determine which floodplain determination is applied.”

FEMA is calling on the nation’s floodplain management professionals to provide feedback to help inform FEMA policy makers.

Specifically FEMA is hoping to get feedback on:

1) Its proposed approach to implementation generally, and

2) The impact of the proposed elevation requirement on the accessibility of covered facilities under the Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Architectural Barriers Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

To comment:

1) Go to www.regulations.gov

2) In the search bar, type “FEMA-2015-0006”

Historic Floods Batter Louisiana

In August of this year, the worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy struck, and the state of Louisiana was hit hard. The disaster was brought on by powerful rains that seemingly would not quit, and when it finally did let up, some areas had recorded as much as 31″ of precipitation. Many waterways, including major rivers, hit levels they had never before reached in all the years that records have been kept. Thousands of homes and businesses were underwater, and at least 13 deaths were reported. More than 30,000 people were evacuated, with heroic rescues and narrow escapes throughout the duration of the storm. It was a catastrophe in every sense of the word.

Although the storm that caused this disaster did not have a name, it was right up there alongside Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy in terms of damage and sheer volume of water. The storm dumped about three times as much water in Louisiana as had Hurricane Katrina; up to 6,900,000,000,000 gallons of water! That is enough water to fill the infamous lake Pontchartrain four times. All that water quickly overcame flood defenses, storm drains, and berms, and coursed straight through towns and even major cities like Baton Rouge, with a power that had never been seen before.

Port Vincent, Lousiana, after August 2016 flooding. Source: NOAA

Adding to the devastation of the actual flooding is the devastation of the aftermath. Many of these submerged homes and businesses in Louisiana are located in high-risk areas where flood insurance is either not available at all or completely unaffordable. Another unfortunate situation is that many of the destroyed buildings were located in areas deemed safe from flooding; these properties were not insured because they had been considered out of harm’s way! In one of the worst-hit parishes, fewer than 1% of the property owners had current flood insurance. As a result, many people across that state are cleaning up homes that are simply not salvageable-and since they are uninsured, not replaceable. Tens of thousands of people have lost everything- all their worldly possessions have been simply swept off the map, with no hope of replacement.

As the water receded and people attempted to get on with their lives, there were indications that this disaster will have very long-term repercussions throughout the social fabric of the affected areas. While the number of people in emergency shelters registered in the tens of thousands during the storm, there remain many thousands of people still in shelters more than a full month after the storm. Schools are very far from recovery, due in part to direct damage to the facilities, hardship affecting the school staff members, and a diaspora of students that leaves some schools grossly attended and others over-crowded. With thousands of families living in rural zones that are struggling with muddied and rutted dirt roads, bridges that are washed out or possibly compromised, with a large number of people still clinging to homes that are not habitable- going back to school may not be at the top of the list of family worries.

The storm of August 2016 did not receive nearly the same level of national media coverage as Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina, but from all indications it was just as devastating to property and infrastructure. It will be many years before Louisiana fully recovers from this disaster, and many families will never fully recover at all.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 18

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:39:00 GMT

Historic Floods Batter Louisiana

Port Vincent, Lousiana, after August 2016 flooding. Source: NOAA

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

NWS Issues First Storm Surge Warning

In August, the National Weather Service issued its first-ever storm surge warning for parts of the Florida Gulf coast in advance of a tropical storm. Storm surge is caused when strong winds push surface water to the shoreline where it can cause tremendous destruction and risk to life. More than 180 deaths were attributed to storm surge from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The NWS storm surge early warning/watch system is expected to be fully operational in 2017. Read more here:

The National Weather Service just issued its first storm surge warning

NPR: Outdated FEMA Flood Maps Don’t Account For Climate Change

FEMA flood maps may not account for historic rainfall due to climate change, according to an article in NPR. Recent flood events in Louisiana, where 1/3 of the flooding was outside the flood plain, add proof to claims by climate scientists that climate change is creating stronger, more intense storms. “The federal government’s latest National Climate Assessment notes that average precipitation is up overall in the U.S., and points to particularly intense rainfall events in the Midwest and East.”

FEMA is now required by a White House executive order to factor climate change into its flood analyses, however this action does little to change existing flood maps updated every five years. Read more here:

NPR: Outdated FEMA Flood Maps Don’t Account For Climate Change

Minor Floods Increase Greatly over 50 Years

All along the coasts of the USA, a new phenomenon has been recorded over the past half century. We all know that catastrophic floods have been increasing in both frequency and scope. But now it seems that minor floods are increasing as well. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) has recently released a report that highlights the increase of small floods that cause inconvenience; by flooding roads, homes, and businesses … but without loss of life or ‘major damage’.

We all know that what is called ‘major damage’ by the NOAA can nevertheless be major headache and repair bills for those affected. But the NOAA report tells us that this “inconvenient flooding” is on the increase due to human activity and global warming. With no possibility of turning back the earth’s clock, these flooding incidents will become more and more commonplace for those living close to seas, bays, and rivers.

Margaret Davidson of the NOAA commiserated with those likely to be affected. “It’s the stuff that keeps you from conducting your business or picking up your kids from school,” Davidson said. “It is clear that changing climate and weather patterns will cause us to be increasingly inconvenienced and challenged in our everyday lives.”

The increase in the frequency of these minor flood events is anything but minor. Fifty years ago, the affected areas averaged 2.5 minor floods annually. Today, there are 14 minor flood events each year. Some areas fared even worse. Annapolis, Maryland went from 3.6 to almost 40 flooding events a year. During the same period, sea level in the Annapolis area rose by almost eight inches!

The coastal sites that were studied by the NOAA as part of this report are located on both sides of the USA — from La Jolla, California to Baltimore, Maryland. Communities that border the Gulf of Mexico are also affected. The worst-hit zone appears to be the Mid-Atlantic region, which happens to be very densely populated. Scientists predict that residents in this region will be increasingly flooded in the coming decades.

Although it is not always possible to pack up and move away from threats of this nature, there is much that can be done to protect one’s homesite or place of business. Flood panels, berms and other flood barriers, and even landscaping can be installed to ameliorate the impact of minor — and major — floods. As scientists look forward to the coming decades, there is little to indicate that flooding incidents will peak and then begin to decrease. Even the most optimistic outlooks predicts a rapid increase in coastal flooding is in the future.

Please click here to view the full NOAA Report as a PDF document.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 19

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:39:00 GMT

Minor Floods Increase Greatly over 50 Years

Please click here to view the full NOAA Report as a PDF document.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

NWS Issues First Storm Surge Warning

It is not surprising to hear about a flood in the state of Florida — this scenario takes place on a regular basis. However, now there is a new kind of flood that is taking place: an insidious and never-ending flood that is threatening the entire state. This new and dangerous flood comes in the form of an ongoing encroachment of the sea into the Everglades.

The Everglades is a huge wetlands that once stretched from Orlando to the southernmost tip of the state. Over the past century, about half of the Everglades has been drained, filled, and reclaimed for use as farmland or residential development. What remains of the original Everglades is now largely protected, and it still covers a vast area of over 1,500,000 acres, or 2400 square miles. Since the 1970’s, the public has become educated about the importance of protecting this huge ecosystem, and direct damage and encroachment from human action has slowed considerably.

Source: Florida International University

Unfortunately, this does not mean that the Everglades is now completely unharmed by human activity. Damage to the ecosystem is continuing in many ways; for example in the form of pollution from pesticides and agricultural chemicals. But even more alarming than these pollutants is the rapid and seemingly unstoppable encroachment of the sea into the Everglades — this is a threat that has the potential to kill the entire system.

The Everglades begin near Orlando, where water from the Kissimmee River flows south into shallow Lake Okeechobee. During periods of heavy precipitation, Lake Okeechobee will overflow, and this forms an extremely wide and slow-moving river that empties into the Florida Bay. This river is not a conventional one — it does not have banks or swift water flow, nor does it even have much visible water surface. The Everglades has been called a ‘river of grass’, and this description deftly sums up its appearance. The vast ‘river of grass’ flows very slowly over a shelf of porous limestone, which is covered by a large amount of peat. The peat supports the plant life, which is mostly sawgrass, and the tangled root systems of these important plants help to hold the whole system together.

Recently, scientists have been finding that global sea level rise is pushing salt water into the Everglades system. As the sea water encroaches inland, it enters the limestone foundation that lies under much of the state, and it rises up under the Everglades. The saline water comes up from the porous limestone and seeps into the peat that supports aquatic plants and animals, creating conditions that kill off that life. If left unchecked, this development could finish off a national treasure: the great Everglades.

Even more devastating than the loss of the Everglades, and directly tied to its fate, would be the pollution of the Biscayne aquifer that lies below the Everglades. This aquifer is absolutely essential to support human habitation and agriculture in the state of Florida, with 90% of the freshwater needed to support communities and farming coming from this source. Now, however, as the Everglades is threatened by saltwater, the aquifer beneath is also at grave risk of pollution. One idea to hold off the encroachment of the saltwater is to put more fresh water from the aquifer into the Everglades, in order to hold back the salt. Today, the restoration and protection of the Everglades is critical not only to the flora and fauna that live there, but to the millions of human residents who depend on the Biscayne aquifer as their only source of fresh water.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

A Different Type of Flood

Source: Florida International University

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Floods Cripple Texas-Louisiana Region

During the first week of March 2016 an unusually prolific weather event pummeled the area near the Texas-Louisiana border, smashing rainfall records as well as homes, bridges, and other infrastructure. In some areas, over two feet of rain was recorded from this single event- an incredible amount that wreaked destruction and put many lives at risk. The massive amounts of rain put tremendous pressure on local reservoirs, and engineers were forced to open the gates, sending huge plumes of water downstream. For example, at the height of the water release operation at the Toledo Bend Dam, water was released at the astonishing rate of 1.5 million gallons per second!

Precipitation levels recorded on March 11th, 2016.

The amount of water released at the Toledo Bend Dam was record-breaking- never before in the 50-year service life of this dam had that much water been released. As might be expected, all that liberated water rushed downstream at perilous speeds, and resulted in river flooding throughout the area. Homes, businesses, farmlands, bridges, and roads were washed away. Some people, who may have little understanding of dams and reservoirs, questioned why the water was released, when so many people living downstream were grievously affected. The simple truth is that had engineers not released the pressure on the dam, the entire dam might have collapsed, causing a disaster that could have dwarfed the infamous Johnstown Flood in terms of destruction and loss of life.

As it was, the water that was released from the dam caused widespread flooding and destruction, and this was in addition to the flooding that was already happening before the sluice gates were opened at the dam. All the rivers in the region were already nearing record crest levels, and after the dam water arrived, many rivers not only broke crest records, but smashed them. The Sabine River, which flows along the border of Texas and Louisiana, achieved a crest level a full five feet above the previous records, which went back to the year 1884.

This particular storm only added to what has been a miserable year for the region, which suffered over a dozen major flash flooding events. Almost half a dozen reporting sites have recorded precipitation levels of 2 feet or more above normal levels for the year. This is an incredible amount of extra rain, and the region has suffered greatly in terms of loss: homes, roads, bridges, businesses, and agricultural ruin will require much effort and funding in order to return to normal.

The cause of the rainfall during the first week of March was identified as a massive storm system that moved slowly across Mexico, then skirted around the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, all the while picking up moisture- which it dumped on the Mississippi Valley region. This region is well accustomed to enduring massive storms, but the rainfall amounts recorded this month crushed records in many spots. The weather station near Monroe, Louisiana recorded the highest amount of precipitation, at just under 27″ for the duration of the multi-day storm. Overall, the storm brought more precipitation that has ever been experienced in living memory, and perhaps will become known as the infamous Storm of March 2016; a storm by which future tempests will be measured.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 20

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:39:00 GMT

Floods Cripple Texas-Louisiana Region

Precipitation levels recorded on March 11th, 2016.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Updated FEMA Floodproofing Design Certificate Required for Non-Residential Structures

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) permits floodproofing of non-residential buildings instead of elevating to or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). For these structures, a floodproofing design certificate is required.

Take a look at the revised floodproofing certificate here.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) NFIP Floodproofing Certificate for Non-Residential Structures and Instructions, 2015 Edition:

“A floodproofed building is a building that has been designed and constructed to be watertight (substantially impermeable to floodwaters) below the BFE and with structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and effects of buoyancy. Before a floodproofed building is designed, numerous planning considerations, including flood warning time, uses of the building, mode of entry to and exit from the building and the site in general, floodwater velocities, flood depths, debris impact potential, and flood frequency, must be addressed to ensure that dry floodproofing will be a viable floodplain management measure.

The minimum NFIP requirement is to floodproof a building to the BFE. However, when it is rated for flood insurance one-foot is subtracted from the floodproofed elevation. Therefore, a building has to be floodproofed to one foot above the BFE to receive the same favorable flood insurance rates as a building elevated to the BFE.

Additional guidance can be found in FEMA Publication 936, Floodproofing Non-Residential Buildings (2013), available on FEMA’s website at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/34270.”

Sea Level Rise Happening Much Quicker than Predicted

Residents of low lying regions, such as Florida, have new reasons to worry after new research has revealed that sea level rise will occur much faster than had been previously predicted. The earlier estimates called for a sea level rise of about one meter by the end of this century. However, these calculations did not factor in significant melting and shrinkage of the ice sheets in Antarctica, which climate scientists had thought to be more or less stable. Now it is known that these ice sheets are not stable at all, and are in fact collapsing precipitously. The new information doubles the expected sea level rise; from one meter to two meters by the year 2100.

For Florida, which has many residents and much critical infrastructure close to the shoreline, this news is disheartening to say the least. A rise of two meters will incur great damage to many important municipal areas, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, and Tampa. Particularly hard hit would be the Everglades, which would be awash in salt water incursions that could spell the end of this unique ecosystem. The famous (and densely populated) Florida Keys would also be grievously affected, with up to 50% of the current land mass slipping beneath the waves. As of today, almost 80,000 people live in the Keys. If the current projections for sea level rise become a reality, or if these dire predictions are even surpassed by our failure to reduce greenhouse gases, many of these 80,000 people will lose their homes and communities.

For the view on the right, elevations below 5 meters (16 feet) above sea level have been colored blue, and lighter blue indicates elevations below 10 meters (33 feet). This is a dramatic demonstration of how Florida’s low topography, especially along the coastline, make it especially vulnerable to flooding associated with storm surges. Planners can use data like these to predict which areas are in the most danger and help develop mitigation plans in the event of particular flood events. Source: earthobservatory.nasa.gov

Unfortunately, sea level rise is not the only dreadful consequence of unchecked carbon emissions. It is now known that weather patterns will be altered in such a way as to greatly increase both the frequency and intensity of storms — and this is already happening in the present day. Ferocious storms, in combination with rising sea level, spells flooding disaster for major metropolises around the world: from New York to Jakarta. Even at current the sea level, cities like Boston and Tampa are extremely vulnerable to the major “100-year” storms that seem to hit annually these days. At the turn of the next century, only 84 years from now, some of these huge population centers may no longer be defensible. A worldwide retreat from the coastline will most likely take place … unless carbon emissions are brought under control in time. Scientists have previously predicted these dire consequences for the planet, but now the damage may well be suffered by people alive today, not by our unborn descendants.

While many countries are working to reduce carbon emissions, the new research in Antarctica indicates that significant reductions in greenhouse gases must take place quite soon in order to stave off disastrous sea level rise which will doom coastal regions around the world to incessant floods and inundation by the seas. Incredibly, scientists have discovered that the entire planet is already wobbling on its axis in a new and different way — this is caused by the planet’s shifting weight distribution as ice melts at the poles and in Greenland. The good news is that it is still not too late to alter this future of flooding and storm surge — we need only work cooperatively to bring the emissions to a safe level. New technologies like solar, wind, and biomass energy production, if adequately funded and supported by prudent legislation, can help reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. If nations around the world get serious about abandoning dirty technologies, the ice sheets of Antarctica may still be salvageable … along with the cities of New York and Mumbai.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Sea Level Rise Happening Much Quicker than Predicted

The very low topography of southern Florida is evident in this color-coded shaded relief map generated with data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The image on the left is a standard view, with the green colors indicating low elevations, rising through yellow and tan, to white at the highest elevations. In this exaggerated view even those highest elevations are only about 60 meters (197 feet) above sea level. For the view on the right, elevations below 5 meters (16 feet) above sea level have been colored blue, and lighter blue indicates elevations below 10 meters (33 feet). This is a dramatic demonstration of how Florida’s low topography, especially along the coastline, make it especially vulnerable to flooding associated with storm surges. Planners can use data like these to predict which areas are in the most danger and help develop mitigation plans in the event of particular flood events. Image Courtesy SRTM Team NASA/JPL/NIMA. Source: earthobservatory.nasa.gov

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 21

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:39:00 GMT

Sea Level Rise Happening Much Quicker than Predicted

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Flood-Fighting Farmers

As floods become more frequent and much more severe, novel ways of fighting them are cropping up all over the world. In some cases, the “new” flood control techniques may be in fact a return to ancient practices that have been lost in recent times. This may be the case with the recent enthusiasm for the introduction (or re-introduction) of farming practices that can help prevent or reduce flooding in the towns and cities located nearby.

Farmers rely heavily on water for their livelihood. Too much water or too little water — both of these scenarios can spell disaster for those who produce our food supply. Some flood control engineers are advocating for a natural approach to water and soil conservation that will, it is claimed, provide reliable water for the farmers and help protect nearby communities from flooding.

Roller/crimper demonstrated on cover crops. Photo: www.nrcs.usda.gov

The new measures call for several methods of flood control. One idea is to encourage farmers to allow some designated part of their land to be given over to flooding in the event of major precipitation rather than blocking the water — which would in many cases mean directing floods toward population centers. In this case, a farmer might permit some flooding of some cropland in order to protect more developed land. A bonus of this practice is that the flooded land becomes more fertile, having the benefit of alluvial deposits. Of course, in allowing some land to be given over to flooding, the farmer loses the productivity of that land for some time, so most localities are arranging for financial compensation for farmers who participate.

Another method of flood reduction is called conservation tillage. This practice entails simply leaving the fields covered with the stalks, roots, and other debris from last year’s crops. Something as simple as this can make a huge difference in the amount of runoff during storms and can greatly reduce the soil erosion that comes with it. There are many other benefits; including increasing rich organic matter in the soil, improving water and air quality, attracting beneficial earthworm colonies, and even providing sustenance and shelter for wildlife.

But the most important reward of conservation tillage is that it helps to hold water on the land. The stalks of the harvested crops, if left in place, provide shade on the land, preventing much of the evaporation that would occur on completely denuded fields. In addition, the stalks act as tiny dams during heavy rains, slowing the water long enough for it to soak into the ground rather than just running off the land. Wind erosion is also greatly decreased in these fields, and much less dust (and topsoil) flies off with the winds.

While all of these other benefits of conservation tillage may be of great value to farmers, food consumers, and earthworms; when it comes to preventing floods in nearby towns, the most important benefit of conservation tillage is the great reduction of “soil sealing”. Soil sealing is the result of raindrops hitting bare soil, a process that compacts the soil and makes it impermeable to water infiltration. Soil that has been compacted and sealed by hard rains will not easily absorb water, and the water will run off in the same way it runs off asphalt. Fields that are covered with stalks and old root systems will not suffer this compaction, and the water will be slowed down enough to sink into the permeable soil.

As climate change, harmful human activity, and rising sea levels all contribute to an increase in floods and major storms, we will need to change our practices on many levels to reduce the resulting destruction and damage. Conservation tillage is likely to become one of the many useful techniques borrowed from the past that will help ensure a better future.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Sea Level Rise Happening Much Quicker than Predicted

Roller/crimper demonstrated on cover crops. Photo: www.nrcs.usda.gov

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Important Information about FEMA’s New Elevation Certificate

The status of FEMA’s new Elevation Certificate has raised a lot of questions by communities and users looking for guidance. The Florida Flood Plain Managers Association has shared the following information on FEMA’s new EC.

FEMA’s official posting concerning the new EC can be accessed here (PDF file will open in a new window). This also includes the new Floodproofing Certificate for Non-Residential Structures.
There will be no transition or grace period for using the old EC, per federal law.
If a Land Surveyor, Engineer, or Architect authorized to certify ECs was unable to download the new EC and therefore submits the previous version of the EC, communities should accept the old version, but advise the individual to download the new form for use in all future submittals.
Please note that this is guidance from FEMA; however, communities can have more stringent requirements and may not allow the old version at all, after a certain date. This policy is up to the community, as long as it meets the FEMA minimum requirements.
FEMA headquarters deems it an acceptable practice to convert the legal size EC format to letter size as long as all information is included.
FEMA is currently developing a Word version of the form that will soon be available.

For CRS: For communities using the previous version of the EC during the period of time prior to FEMA placing the new EC on their website with a working link, no “error” will be counted upon CRS visit (Cycle, Modification, or Recertification). Once FEMA or CRS indicate the new EC is available via FEMA’s website, no further use of the older EC will be accepted.

Based on questions and input FFMA has received, and the ongoing EC trainings being conducted by FFMA, the FFMA has developed preliminary suggestions for approaching nuances of the new EC. Please note that these are not official guidance from FEMA.

Some users of the new EC have been unable to save a completed form using Adobe Reader. Instead, they have needed Adobe Acrobat Pro or a similar PDF editor. This should be resolved once the Word version is issued.
Note that several sections (i.e., A8/A9.d-engineered openings, B12-CBRS) have replaced the check boxes with “radio buttons.” These can be toggled between the options, but once “checked,” they cannot be “unchecked.” This could require completing the EC again.
The date formats for B6/B7-Index/FIRM dates are very specific. If manually entered, you should use the MM/DD/YY format for the field to populate to the expanded date format. Any other entries will remain as-is, whether numerical or text only.
The B9-BFE section inadvertently includes a date drop down menu. Do not use this; instead, type the BFE manually into the field.
Some users have had difficulty inserting pictures into the “Building Photographs” pages. In this case, add text similar to “The following digital photographs have been attached to this form: front, back, side, openings, etc.” in the picture box. Then insert the photographs into a document editor, such as Word; check the appropriate “Check here if attachments” box; in the appropriate comments section, add text similar to “Photographs attached on separate pages in lieu of the ‘Building Photographs’ pages of the form,” and attach the pages of photographs to the form.
The page of the form that includes Section G does not have an address header. If this section is completed, the property address from A2 should be repeated at the top of the comments section.
If you would like to host a training on completing the new EC in Florida, please contact Sally Cook, CFM, FFMA Associate Education Director at sally.cook@mymanatee.org.

If you have any questions regarding this guidance or the form, or input on the new EC, please contact Del Schwalls, P.E., CFM, FFMA Secretary and CRS/Insurance Committee Co-Chair at dschwalls@schwallsconsulting.com.

Our partner FW Brown featured by US Builders Review magazine

Congratulations to our New England partner F.W. Brown recently featured in this case study by US Builders Review that highlights Flood Panel.

Click here to view magazine article in a new window.

Page 11

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:31:11 GMT

Flood Prep in 2018 Should be Driven by Common Sense

Last year’s hurricane season brought 17 named storms in the Atlantic, including 10 hurricanes and six major hurricanes. The impact of those storms can’t be understated. Within just two weeks, two Category 4 hurricanes made landfall in Texas and Florida, causing a historic and catastrophic flood in Houston and the largest evacuation in U.S. history in Florida. Hurricane Irma devastated the U.S. Virgin Islands and Barbuda. Puerto Rico is still recovering from Hurricane Maria.

If the first few days of January are any indicator, 2018 may be another stormy year. Winter Storm Grayson, designated by weather gurus as an ominous “bomb cyclone,” brought snow and ice to the Deep South and a historic high tide with severe flooding to Boston as it barreled up the East Coast.

Prudence, and common sense, should motivate commercial businesses in flood prone communities to prepare now for the next storm.

Business owners in flood zones have four options: move, elevate, build barriers or flood proof. The most practical and cost-effective of these choices is flood proofing. The National Flood Insurance Program recognizes flood proofing as an effective way to reduce the threat and cost of flooding.

When it comes to flood protection, one size does not fit all. Flood protection solutions must meet federal and local engineering standards in compliance with building codes for flood proofing commercial structures. Building owners should consider customized solutions, installed by licensed, experienced contractors.

Flood Solutions for Commercial Construction

Flood Panel designs high-quality flood protection solutions for commercial construction projects to suit most flooding scenarios. Popular solutions include:

FloodPanel™ – an economical and effective flood barrier system made of industrial strength metal and compression seals to protect building entrances of any width and height.
FloodLog™ – a modular flood barrier system designed to meet and exceed heavy water loads and impact forces, like those from a rushing river or a hurricane. This stackable, high-grade aluminum product can be made for most heights or lengths. FloodLog uses proprietary technology that enables the logs to glide into rails for easy installation. The installation design can also be customized for aesthetic appeal or rapid deployment.
Puddle Panel™ – a quick-reaction barrier system capable of withstanding flooding that is less than two feet deep and is extremely effective for doorways. The lightweight aluminum system is edged with a thick rubber gasket, which creates a waterproof seal on the door opening when used with the stainless-steel mounting plate. Installation time for a single or double door is under five minutes.

For more information and to learn how businesses are using Flood Panel solutions to protect their commercial assets before the next flood, visit Flood Panel at www.floodpanel.com.

Hurrican Harvey hits Houston: Part 2

At the time of the last post, Hurricane Harvey had pounded the Texas coastline with high winds and lashing rain. Witnesses reported that the rain in their faces felt like the output from a power washer, and every drop caused stinging pain. By the time the storm had dissipated, many longstanding flood records had been smashed, Houston was underwater, and hundreds of thousands of people had been driven from their homes.

The amount of rainfall from this storm was simply astonishing. Precipitation levels during the three days of the storm were measured in feet, not inches. The previous record for flooding in Buffalo Bayou, which stretches into Houston, was bested by 14 feet! Many areas received an entire year’s worth of rainfall in a couple of days. The worst fears of local people were surpassed, and by a lot. And even when the rain had finally stopped, the flooding had not. The flooding after the storm came from two reservoirs that had been built to prevent the very situation they were now causing!

Originally, the Addicks and Barker reservoirs were built well outside of Houston, in an area that was relatively undeveloped. The intention was that the reservoirs could contain a massive amount of precipitation during hurricanes and large storms, leaving the Houston metropolis protected. In recent decades, however, developers have been permitted to sprawl new communities right up to the massive earthen berms that hold back the billions of gallons of water. On the far side of the lakes, new neighborhoods rise up from the banks … but without sufficient elevation to escape inundation when the lake level rises.

Enlarged map of rainfall from the hurricane in the Houston and Beaumont metropolitan areas in southeast Texas. Areas in yellow indicate accumulations in excess of 40 in (1,000 mm). Image: David M. Roth; NOAA WPC

During Hurricane Harvey, these two lakes filled to the point where the water could no longer be contained at all. The water had to go somewhere: it had to either be released through the emergency sluice gates, rise up into the neighborhoods that ring the lakes, or flow over the berm itself. At some point after the storm, all three of these things were happening in an uncontrolled fashion. At this point, the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE), who operate the reservoirs, made the only decision they could make: the gates were fully opened to drain the lakes. The ACE now estimates that the gates will need to remain open for weeks, if not months … all the while continuously flooding homes in the path of the lakes’ surplus water.

What happened? How is it that the plan to protect Houston resulted in disaster to so many?

Most of the homes that enjoyed a lake view for so many years are now underwater, and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Sadly, many of these homes are not covered by flood insurance, because it was not legally required in the “500-year floodplain” where they are situated. But disastrous planning (or lack of it) resulted in huge swaths of watershed areas that were paved, covered by homes, driveways, patios, parking lots, swimming pools, basketball courts, streets, and other surfaces that shed water rather than safely absorb it.

All this poorly-planned development was permitted to cover the formerly green zones that surrounded the lakes, and now MUCH more water than before is being dumped into the lakes as it runs off the impermeable surfaces. This situation, combined with the fact that 500-year floods have been occurring with alarming frequency, means that owning one of these lake-view homes is anything but enviable. Texas, known for its distaste for government regulation and federal “interference” is now learning the price of rampant, unregulated growth.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Hurricane Harvey Hits Houston, Part 1

Anyone landing at the Houston International Airport on a clear day will enjoy a sweeping view of the coastline, as well as the spit of sand called Galveston Island. The Gulf of Mexico looks serene on a day like that, and the beaches look welcoming and bright — even from an altitude of 30,000 feet. But one can’t help imagining what might happen to all that low-lying coastline, crowded with homes and business, if it were to be struck by a major hurricane. In late August 2018, just that happened.

Hurricane Harvey approached the Texas coast as a relatively meek tropical storm, having spent itself and reformed several times during its trip through the Caribbean. Unfortunately, just before the storm made landfall in southeastern Texas, it intensified into a full-blown Category 4 hurricane with tornado-like winds inside the storm. This would not be the minor storm residents and officials had hoped for — it would be a very, very dangerous hurricane. Mandatory evacuations were quickly ordered, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott drove home the seriousness of the situation when he advised all those who ignored the evacuation to print their name and social security number on themselves, so that they could be more easily identified.

Hurricane Harvey near the coast of Texas at peak intensity late on August 25, 2017. ABI image captured by NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite.

Even this dire advice did not dissuade many residents who rode out the storm in vulnerable houses, flimsy trailer homes, and even boats! Some of these people wished to remain with their belongings, while others were too poor or infirm to evacuate. Most immediately regretted their decision to stay, and witnesses described a veritable tsunami-like wall of water and wind that sounded like a jet engine. At that point, there was nothing to do but hang on and hope for the best. When the calm eye of the storm passed over the coastline, many people who had been blasted by the storm scurried out of hiding to seek stronger shelter, but very soon the eye was followed by the second wall of the hurricane. Once again, the winds, rain, and storm surge hammered the coastline with a force that was beyond belief. When the storm had finally passed, many of those who had survived the storm were deeply traumatized

In this part of the world, it has been almost a decade since any major storm — not since Hurricane Ike in 2005 had any hurricane hit Texas. And we would have to look back a full 56 years to recall a hurricane of similar intensity — Hurricane Harvey will remain indelibly burned on the memories of every last person who lived through it. The stats of the storm beggar belief: over four FEET of precipitation fell in some places, and many spots received the equivalent of a full year’s rainfall in a couple of days!

Adding to the destructive power of the wind and rain is a substantial storm surge of over 6 ft. A storm surge is a massive wall of seawater that is mounded up by the storm and slammed onto the coastline. A surge of this size can overwhelm flood barriers, sea walls, and other flood defense measures; leaving homes and other buildings inundated. In fact, it is the flooding that caused the most damage in the Houston area. Officials warned that the weakened storm would turn around to drift back over the same ground. It became a slow-moving storm, without the destructive winds it once had, but still FULL of rain. It dumped even more precipitation on the already flood-ravaged zone.

Next post: Floods Ravage Houston

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Storm Costs Rise with Development Along Vulnerable Coasts

According to a Special Report by NBC News, recovery in many New York neighborhoods continues five years after Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the coastline. “A crucial question remains: Is the groundwork being laid enough to protect America’s most populous city from future floods, extreme weather and rising sea levels?”

It seems New Yorkers are willing to take the gamble. Resiliency projects abound across the city in preparation for the next superstorm, including new bulkheads and barriers, concrete esplanades, retaining walls, dunes and marsh restorations. Funding is another issue, especially as the federal government challenges the threat of climate change despite new research that shows storm-related floods could be more intense and frequent in the next 10 years.

Read the full story here: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/5-years-after-sandy-are-nyc-s-preparations-amid-climate-n812221

Page 12

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:31:11 GMT

Human Development Made Houston Flooding Worst in History

Hurricane Harvey brought historic rainfall to Houston, but urban sprawl that added 25 percent more pavement to that city in the last 15 years is a major reason why catastrophic flooding now cripples the 4th largest U.S. city. NBC News takes a look at the human factor in this flooding event.

Tropical storm Emily overwhelms Miami Beach’s anti-flood system

The city of Miami Beach is in a very precarious position; the land it perches upon is at once being gobbled by sea level rise, eroded by increasingly vicious and frequent storms, and is sinking due to its sandy and unstable base. The threats facing this city are so dire that it has been predicted that many properties close to the oceanfront will inevitably be lost to the sea during the coming decades.

In order to stave off this fate as long as possible, the City of Miami Beach has invested heavily in a system of pumps to literally bail out the municipality like a leaky lifeboat. With $500 million sunk into the project, residents and property owners in Miami Beach were optimistic that the investment would pay off during large storms … and possibly even hurricanes. But a recent “test run” during the aftermath of Tropical Storm Emily dashed those hopes.

Click here to read full story on Miami New Times

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Historic Ellicott City: One Year after the Flood

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the historic floods that wiped out the quaint Main Street business district of Ellicott City, Maryland; a visit to the area reveals much progress, but also evidence of lives changed forever. Two lives were lost during that horrible flood, which occurred on July 30, 2016. The friends and family of those two people will never be the same, and many who were injured are also still struggling to recover fully.

In addition to these tragic human losses, there was also massive damage suffered by businesses and other property owners. Ellicott City is situated in a highly vulnerable location, nestled in a valley of the mighty Patapsco River, which normally flows placidly through the area. Canals shoot off from the main river, and in bygone days mules would be seen pulling barges up and down the canals to areas of commerce. Ellicott City was one such commercial hub, and milling was the main industry. Many years ago the canal barges brought raw corn, paper materials, and lumber to the mills of Ellicott City, and the fact that the mills were directly off the canals made this commerce convenient. The city thrived, and during the 1800’s Ellicott City became one of the most important manufacturing and milling towns on the entire east coast.

However, the vulnerability of the town’s location also resulted in frequent floods, and Ellicott City was all but wiped off the map many times over the past two centuries. Since the year 1817, the town has suffered 16 extremely devastating floods, with many lives lost and unimaginable property damage. Homes, businesses, vehicles, and livestock were swept away over and over again.

As bad as these historic floods were, they all pale in comparison to the flood that destroyed Ellicott City last summer. This flood will go down in history as the worst … at least for now. Meteorologists are calling the flood of 2016 a ‘thousand-year flood’, a description that may provide false hope to the town’s residents and shopkeepers … because it is likely to happen again sooner than that. Whereas Ellicott City was once a gritty factory and mill town, it is today a genteel and affluent community with a Main Street lined with antique shops and trendy, high-end restaurants. For this reason, the dollar amount of the property damage was much, much higher than may have been expected from such a small town.

This map shows the Ellicott City National Register Historic District, and surrounding areas, that were affected by the recent flooding in Ellicott City. Click on the map to enlarge it.

Four months after the flood, almost half of the businesses along Main Street were still not reopened. Debris was still piled up here and there, and infrastructure such as bridges, roads, and sidewalks were still in the process of being repaired or replaced. The delay in reopening the former businesses or replacing them with new ones cast a pall over the once-bustling Main Street. After the flood, millions of dollars poured in from donors and grants, and the effort to restore Main Street was underway almost immediately. But many business owners elected to move away from the vulnerable flood zone, while others found that their expensive flood insurance policies were not being honored by the insurance companies. This delay in getting the city back on its feet meant that many visitors went away disappointed, and this is never good for business.

The historic Main Street of Ellicott City reopened for business just three months after the flood, and today the street is once again thronged with shoppers and tourists. But those who lived through the flood at close hand will never again look at the quaint district the same way- and they will live in dread of the next deluge.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Tiny Nevada Town Flooded by Failed Dam

In early February a Nevada earthen dam failed and caused major flooding, in spite of the fact that the dam had passed an inspection just months before. The dam did not pass the inspection with flying colors, however, and the participating hydro-engineers produced a list of recommendations for improvements that did not receive follow-up attention. This type of lapse is very common, especially in rural areas that may be burdened with low budgets and aging infrastructure.

The dam that failed is called the Twentyone Mile Dam, and it is designed to hold water to be used for irrigation in Elko County, Nevada. The dam is not considered a high priority installation, because it is located in a deeply rural area — any failure of the dam is not expected to cause loss of human lives. Nevertheless, the failure caused major flash flooding that wiped out a nearby state highway and flooded out nearby homes and ranches.

STUART JOHNSON/THE DESERET NEWS / AP

About thirty homes were flooded by the dam failure, and a full ten miles of the main highway was closed due to the washed-out roadway. It is impossible to overstate the importance of a main highway to a rural community — without this lifeline, transportation and access becomes almost impossible for the entire community. The community most affected by this event is a tiny town called Montello, Nevada, population 84. All the residents of Montello were impacted by the flooding caused by the failed dam — either due to direct flooding of their homes or from being cut off due to the highway closure. Not many people were affected by this flooding, thanks to the sparse population of the area, but those who were affected have suffered massive inconvenience; and in some cases, moments of terror.

Unusually heavy rainfall is being blamed for the failure of the dam. Earthen dams can be weakened by many factors, including seepage, root systems, erosion, and age. In the case of the Twentyone Mile Dam, a sudden and catastrophic breach occurred, causing almost instantaneous flash flooding that coursed through the countryside and directly across the important state highway that leads to Utah. One trucker who was on the highway at the time of the flash flooding came very close to losing his life. Seeing that the road was breaking up beneath the wheels of his truck, this lucky driver floored the truck’s gas pedal for several miles, surrounded by rising water and watching in the rear-view mirror as the road crumbled behind him. He made it to safety, but had to spend a nerve-wracking night in his stranded truck, watching roiling high water all around him throughout the night.

Repairing the dam and the damage caused by its sudden failure was at first thought to be a matter of weeks. Now, however, engineers have had a chance to more completely survey the extensive damage caused by the flooding, and the repair schedule — with its hefty price tag — is known to be much more onerous than initially hoped. Tiny Montello is now nationally famous for this disastrous flood, which all but wiped it off the map.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 13

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:31:11 GMT

Flood Panel Featured in US Builders Review Digital Brochure with National Flood Protection

Flood Panel is featured in a new digital brochure with National Flood Protection, a national corporate partner.

Click here to view the brochure.

National Flood Protection LLC Joins American Resort Development Association

Flood Panel National Corporate Partner Will Exhibit at ARDA World 2017

National Flood Protection LLC is now a member of the American Resort Development Association and will exhibit at ARDA World 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana from March 26-30, kiosk SK1.

ARDA is a trade association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Its 750 corporate members include privately held firms and publicly traded corporations with extensive experience in shared ownership interests in leisure real estate. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations, resort management companies, industry vendors, suppliers, consultants, and owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition.

“We joined ARDA to partner with an organization whose members own, develop and lease vacation rental property all over the world, many located in flood zones,” said Russ Ellington, president, National Flood Protection. “By exhibiting at ARDA World, we have an opportunity to introduce National Flood Protection to thousands of ARDA members in attendance. We look forward to building relationships with key decision makers who could benefit from our flood mitigation products and services.”

For more information on ARDA World 2017, visit http://www.arda.org/convention/.

Visit https://floodpanel.com/national-flood-protection-llc/ to learn more about National Flood Protection.

After ASFPM Input, FEMA Revises Elevation Certificate

The Association of Flood Plain Managers sent the following notice to members about the FEMA Elevation Certificate:

FEMA announced in a March 1 bulletin that the newly revised Elevation Certificate (FEMA form 086-0-33) can now be accessed at: https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/fema_nfip_elevation-certificate-form-instructions_feb-2020.pdf

Bruce Bender , ASFPM Insurance Committee co-chair, said of the announcement, “After the initial release of the Elevation Certificate, the ASFPM Insurance Committee began gathering feedback about issues users were having. Last October at a Flood Insurance Producers National Committee (FIPNC) meeting, which the Insurance Committee sits on, FEMA stated they were aware of issues with the EC (including a major rounding issue), and were addressing them. The Insurance Committee continued to gather EC issues and ASFPM formally shared them with FEMA in January [2017].”

Bender said, “At the Feb. 28 FIPNC meeting, FEMA announced they were issuing a corrected EC. This reflects some of the recommended changes, including the rounding issue. As you use the Elevation Certificate, please provide any suggested changes or comments to InsuranceCorner@floods.org.”

“One comment received already is that C2.a-h, Section E and G8-G10 forces the entry of two decimal places (whether the data was captured to 2 place-accuracy or not). Section E instructions have been updated to reference the two decimal places (“nearest hundredth”); however, C2 was not,” he said.

“This form expires November 2018. FEMA officials at the FIPNC meeting agreed that it would be good to have industry users ‘test drive’ future forms before officially releasing it,” Bender said.

Contractors Should Take Steps to Minimize Flood Risk

Commercial contractors should take proactive measures to minimize flood risk before beginning any project. The frequency of flood events and the high cost of floods is driving demand for flood protection and other measures to reduce the probability of catastrophic loss due to flooding.

Before building in flood-prone areas, contractors should take these steps to assess the flood risk and avoid or mitigate the flood threat.

Review flood codes, zones and requirements

Contractors should first contact local building department officials to understand the building code and floodplain management requirements for project sites.

The National Flood Insurance Program requires that structures are designed to prevent flotation, collapse and lateral movement during a flood; flood resistant materials are used; the building is engineered and constructed to minimize flood damage; and HVAC/plumbing equipment is designed or located to prevent water entry.

Communities alter building codes to comply with the updated flood maps and NFIP changes to qualify for federal disaster assistance and flood insurance. State and local ordinances generally follow NFIP requirements plus those set by the state or community.

Other important sources of information include:

Flood Insurance Rate Maps which define flood boundaries for FEMA flood zones and base flood (100-year flood) elevations, and map the results of recent flood insurance studies
Flood Boundary Maps
Flood Insurance Studies, which show mean water levels and wave elevations along the shoreline
FEMA Technical Bulletins, such as Floodproofing Non Residential Buildings (FEMA P-936) and NFIP Technical Bulletin 3-93.
State and local land use regulations, which govern land use, can be more restrictive than FEMA and the NFIP, and may set higher standards based on local conditions in the interest of safety.

Determine the consequences and likelihood of a flood

Flood risk is defined as the potential losses associated with a flood in terms of costs and consequences, expected probability and frequency of event, and exposure to floods. Residual risk is the level of risk not off-set by hazard-resistant design or insurance, such as the continued cost of rebuilding.

Generally, contractors can follow this rule of thumb to assess risk. First, determine the construction/replacement cost per square foot as applied to floodable levels. Then, add the cost of business disruption that includes a realistic period for resumption of operations after a flood.

For projects in flood zones, contractors should consider the likelihood of a flood event over a given time period, the likelihood of frequent and less severe events like nuisance flooding or flash floods, and less frequent, but more severe events such as hurricanes and 100-year floods. At a minimum, commercial contractors should build to standards that prepare for flooding scenarios that may seem unlikely, but actually have a statistical probability of occurrence.

Reduce and manage flood risk

Risk can be reduced or managed physically through flood protection and financially through insurance.

To avoid or manage flood risk, commercial contractors and their clients have few options: move the building outside of the flood zone, elevate the structure above base flood elevation, build earthen barriers like berms, dikes and walls, or floodproof.

Dry floodproofing requires that all large openings have flood barriers, flood panels or flood doors installed, areas below water level must resist infiltration, all small openings must be sealed, buoyancy effects should be considered and a method for pumping out leakage must be provided. FEMA and the NFIP allow dry floodproofing for commercial buildings because relocation or elevation would be a significant business hardship. Furthermore, most commercial structures can’t be elevated, and employees can deploy floodproofing solutions and practice fire-drill style floodproofing deployment plans.

********************

To learn more about flood protection, visit Flood Panel LLC, Stand D28 at the New York Build Expo 2017, March 15-16.

Page 14

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:31:11 GMT

FEMA Regulations Freeze Lifted

The Association of State Flood Plain Managers shared the following news:

FEMA officials confirmed they have been given the green light by the Office of Management and Budget to publish “routine and frequent” National Flood Insurance Program notices and rules in the Federal Register. This includes items related to flood mapping and community eligibility.

According to ASFPM, the “routine and frequent” NFIP notices would apply to some Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs). However there are two programs of importance to floodplain managers that will be delayed: Community Assistance Program (CAP-SSSE) grants and pre-disaster Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants (PDM and FMA). The delay for both types of grants is due to the federal government being on a Continuing Resolution until the end of April. The availability of such funds will depend on congressional approval of a budget for the remainder of the year.

Winter Storms Cause Widespread Flooding in California

After destructive wildfires ravaged large swaths of Southern California last summer, all those living close to the burn areas immediately began to fear large rainstorms. This may seem counter-intuitive; wouldn’t rain help heal the burned zones and begin the process of re-forestation? While it is true that rain is sorely needed in this drought-ravaged region, and this copious precipitation will indeed promote new vegetation, the storms that struck this week came too soon. There has not yet been enough time for new plants to develop the deep root systems needed to hold the soil together, and the heavy storms swiftly washed away the loose, sandy soil that had been denuded by the fires.

Southern California is not often affected by the type of dreadful flooding that regularly scours the southeastern region. As floods are infrequent and relatively harmless, most property owners do not carry flood insurance and are likely to lose everything in the event of a heavy flood. That nightmare scenario became a reality for some this week, as three consecutive winter storms lashed the area, causing major flooding and widespread damage to roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. Two deaths have been attributed to the storm, and there were many evacuations and rescues, including at a homeless encampment and a popular recreational campground.

This TMPA image shows rainfall anomalies for the one month period ending on January 10, 2017. Higher-than-average precipitation extends from over and east of the Hawaiian Islands northeastward into California, eastern Oregon and much of the northern Rockies (green areas). Much higher than average rainfall appear in blue. Credits: NASA/JAXA, Hal Pierce

California is still struggling to emerge from a drought that has devastated agriculture, wildlife, and even the famous ancient sequoias that have surely seen many severe droughts. The past year has brought much more rain than usual, and it is hoped that the silver lining of these recents storms will be a replenished water table- at last! But this future silver lining does nothing to assuage the immediate suffering that has ravaged almost the entire state — from San Diego to Sacramento. For the past three weeks, rain has pelted the state relentlessly, with very few breaks, and major flooding has caused havoc in many areas.

In particular, dramatic news photos show horrific damage at a low-lying campground called El Capitan, which is close to Santa Barbara. Fortunately, the campers managed to seek higher ground in time to avoid loss of life, but several cars were washed away and were later found mired to the roof in sand and seaweed on a nearby beach. In addition to the heavy flooding, the storms also caused widespread mudslides and rockslides that damaged major roadways badly enough to warrant closure. Trees loosened by soggy soil and heavy winds crushed homes in several areas, and flash flood warnings were announced across the state.

All this rain that fell at lower elevations appeared as snow at higher elevations. Some parts of the Sierra Nevada mountain range currently have double the average snowfall so far this year! This is very good news for ski resorts, and the reservoirs that are now brimming with water will delight farmers. But the threat of flooding from what is likely to be record-breaking snowmelt will continue to be a cause for worry through the spring and into the summer months.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Winter Storms Cause Widespread Flooding in California

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Flood Panel to Exhibit at New York Build 2017

Click on image below to visit the NYBuild Expo website and register free.

Flood Panel will be exhibiting at New York Build 2017 on March 15-16 at the Javits Center in New York City. New York Build is the leading design and construction expo focused on construction projects around New York.

Flood Panel will be at Stand D28 with National Flood Protection, LLC, our first National Corporate Partner. Last year, New York City selected Flood Panel for funding through the $30 million RISE : NYC initiative. The project provides flood protection to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Flood Panel custom-designed a solution for the city that uses shipbuilding and bridge construction technology to withstand hydrostatic pressure, waves and the impact of floating debris. Read more about our project with New York City here.

The expo is a great chance to create new business opportunities, gain AIA CES accredited training and hear about the latest projects around the city. The show features eight specialist summits focused on: Government Policy, Infrastructure, Digital Construction, Architecture, Sustainability, Health & Safety, Real Estate and Residential Construction.

Registration for New York Build 2017 is free at www.newyorkbuildexpo.com.

Page 15

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:31:11 GMT

Flood Panel Makes it Easy to Find Flood Protection Experts

Flood Panel recently unveiled new badges to designate companies in our Certified Network of flood protection experts. These companies completed our flood proofing training course certified by the American Institute of Architects to join our team of trained regional dealers, installers, architects, engineers and contractors. The badges identify companies as a National Corporate Partner, Certified Regional Dealer or Certified Network Affiliate.

Flood Panel is using the badges on our website and in our sales and marketing initiatives. We invite our partners to display the badges on their websites and sales materials to highlight their flood proofing expertise to customers and business partners.

Check out our new Certified Network directory that makes it easy to find qualified flood protection experts at www.floodpanel.com/find-flood-panel-expert-area/.

Contact Flood Panel to find out how your company can join our exclusive team of flood protection experts.

Future of Flood Insurance Program Uncertain

It’s that time of year … no, not the holidays, but that time of year when Congress takes another look at the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This has become something of an annual legislative ordeal, and has been since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Prior to Katrina, the debt that had been accrued by the NFIP were paid off every year, and the program was relatively stable and sustainable. Hurricane Katrina, however, left massive insurance payouts in its wake, and these debts could not be paid off as they had been in previous years. Today the NFIP is in debt to the US Treasury to the tune of $23 billion!

The predicament has become much like that of many ordinary people who carry large sums on their credit cards. At first, the situation seems manageable, and the debtor is happy enough to push the responsibility for repayment into the future as far as possible. Soon, however, the interest on the old debt combines with new debt to form a veritable monster of a balance, all but guaranteeing that it can never be paid off. In the worst case scenario, the debtor is doomed to an endless payment schedule that covers only the interest!

This nightmare scenario is close to the case of the NFIP at the present time. It is small wonder that Congress has chosen to apply a bandaid to the program each year for the past decade, because making the real changes needed to truly fix the program will be insanely expensive and unpopular. In addition to these already considerable obstacles, there are many other impediments to fixing the NFIP; including the projected huge increase in flooding events due to climate change, and a large number of currently insured properties that have flooded repeatedly.

Please click graph to view the National Academies of Sciences’ slide show explaining their proposal for Community-Based Flood Insurance in a new window.

This year, many in Congress would like to see the NFIP privatized. Depending on one’s point of view, this idea is either a great plan or a potential disaster. Many people in Congress, as well as their constituents, will applaud the prospect of removing the federal government from the flood insurance business. These people may say that taxpayers should not be on the hook for poor choices made by those who own property in flood-prone areas. Others may look at the results of past privatizations, such as various penal institutions, private contractors in foreign war zones, or utility services and voice well-founded alarm. When a service is conducted by a private enterprise, profit is sometimes valued above concepts of fairness, the overall good of the community, or even safety.

So this spring, as Congress once again examines the NFIP, it is likely that Congress will look at ways to extricate the federal government from the program, replacing the program with private insurers. This development, should it materialize, will send many owners of risk-prone properties into a state of panic, because they will likely be excluded from the rolls of any company operating purely for profit. As the original purpose of the NFIP was to avoid this very situation, it would be an unfortunate end to a program designed to alleviate suffering and hardship.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Future of Flood Insurance Program Uncertain

Please click graph to view the National Academies of Sciences’ slide show explaining their proposal for Community-Based Flood Insurance in a new window.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Flooding from Global Warming No Longer Theoretical

For many years, meteorological scientists have been warning about disastrous flooding along the US coastline — flooding that would be caused by global warming. While this “theory” of global warming is still being debated in Congress, and is still dismissed by influential lawmakers, the effects of global warming are no longer theoretical. All US coastlines are increasingly affected by flooding, erosion, and storm surge that is very, very real — and the cause is global warming.

Citizens of low-lying island nations like Tuvalu have for many years suffered directly from sea level rise, and have been pleading for help to no avail. This seems particularly unfair because these small nations are at once the most affected by and least responsible for global warming. These tiny vulnerable islands are so far away, in terms of geographical distance as well as being completely off the “mental radar” for many US citizens. But now, US residents who live and work near our coastlines are facing the same type of threats from the sea as the citizens of Tuvalu.

Seven of these indicators would be expected to increase in a warming world and observations show that they are, in fact, increasing. Three would be expected to decrease and they are, in fact, decreasing. (US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

All the US coastlines will be affected in the coming years — including Hawaii, Alaska, the shores along the Gulf of Mexico, and both of the great oceanic coasts. However, there are zones that will be affected sooner than others, and here the impact is already causing great alarm, property damage, plummeting property values, and soaring flood insurance rates. Traditional flood plains and official flood zones are creeping outwards into areas where flood insurance was never needed before. The financial impact of this flood zone creep cannot be overstated.

The east coast of the continental US is experiencing the worst of the threat so far. All along the eastern seaboard, communities have been forced to spend huge amounts of public money to repair infrastructure that is continuously being damaged or wiped out by flooding. Bridges that connect island communities to the mainland must be regularly rebuilt, and water control channels must be constantly dredged and maintained. Norfolk, Virginia is a very good example of a large, densely-populated area that is undeniably — and dangerously — under siege by the encroaching sea.

Norfolk and other population centers close to the Chesapeake Bay are facing grave existential threat due to the fact that the land upon which they are founded is sinking at the same time that the sea is rising. This double whammy means that this region is being slammed with frequent flooding in places that have never before had to deal with it, and are therefore woefully unprepared as far as infrastructure, flood insurance coverage, and emergency planning. Add to this the fact that Norfolk is a critically important naval installation, and we have a blueprint for disaster on a national level.

This threat to naval installations in Norfolk and other areas is fully recognized by the Pentagon, which has already begun building flood barriers, berms, tide control channels, and has installed flood panels around sensitive military assets. But even the Pentagon has met with legislative obstacles and continuing resistance from intransigent members of Congress who continue to deny the existence of global warming and climate change — even in the face of undeniable proof.

Scientists who have been warning us for years about this threat from the sea now tell us that once the effects of global warming first begin to be felt along the coastline, the process will speed up very quickly. The starting gun has already gone off — the race to save our coastline communities is now underway.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 10

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 10:26:48 GMT

February Floods are a Timely Reminder to Plan for Flood Emergencies

A series of storms in February dumped heavy rain on parts of central and southern U.S., causing damaging floods along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.

“Roughly 70 rivers were in flood stage as of midday Monday in the central USA, the National Weather Service said. Overall, more than 250 river gauges reported levels above flood stage from the Great Lakes to Texas,” according to USA Today (2/26/18).

These recent floods are a timely reminder that flooding can happen at any time. Floodproofing a structure with flood barriers, flood doors, flood logs or other mitigation solutions is important, but not enough to ensure protection when a flood hits (read more about common sense flood prep). A flood emergency operational plan is highly recommended for all floodproofed buildings, and may even be required in some communities.

Flood Emergency Operational Plan

Flood emergency operational plans include information about floodproofing measures during and after floods. For example, equipment that requires electricity, such as a sump pump, needs to maintain power through the flood event. The plan outlines how often to practice for a flood, who is responsible for the plan, and any underlying assumptions.

The plan should do the following:

Establish a chain of command and assign responsibilities to each person involved in the installation and maintenance of floodproofing measures.
Delineate notification procedures for all personnel.
Assign duties and include the locations of flood panels and barriers, with their installation and repair procedures.
Include evacuation instructions for all personnel who normally occupy the building, and for personnel who will install the flood barriers.
Provide a periodic drill and training program to make sure the personnel clearly understand the procedures and time required to implement floodproofing measures and complete evacuation.
Define a schedule for regular evaluation and update of the flood emergency operational plan.

Inspection and Maintenance Plan

In addition, an inspection and maintenance plan should be in place for all flood-protected enclosures and areas. At a minimum, this plan should inspect:

Wall systems for cracks in the structure or waterproofing coatings around flood doors and barriers.
Entire floor slab for settlement or other cracks.
Openings to clear debris and check for damage
Flood panels for damage to the panels or gaskets and to verify that proper labels are visible for location and operation.
Backflow and shutoff valves to ensure they operate properly.
Drainage, emergency power/generator and pump systems to ensure there is no damage to piping or debris that would prevent the pipes from draining properly.
Flood emergency equipment, supplies and required tools to ensure that all required items are available in the event of a flood.

With more rain in the forecast and a nor’easter predicted for the East Coast, now is the time to review flood emergency operational, inspection and maintenance plans. For more information on flood mitigation planning, visit www.floodpanel.com.

Reducing Run-Off to Prevent Floods

Over the past few decades, more and more cities are recognizing — and acting on — the effects of run-off. The problem is a relatively new one, and is the result of rampant and poorly planned paving that has taken place over the last century. Before the advent of the automobile, there was very little problem with run-off. Dirt roads were the norm, and virtually all homes and businesses were surrounded by earth — not the cement patios, driveways, roads, sidewalks, and parking lots that have proliferated since the coming of the car. In this bygone era, even in the event of a major storm there was always plenty of natural, porous surfaces to soak up the water. Today, there is precious little ground left to absorb precipitation — most of it runs off to create devastating amounts of water in storm drains, rivers, and causeways.

The result of this type of wide-scale run-off can be deadly. Last fall, a major flood in northern Kentucky caused significant damage to homes, trailer parks, and businesses, and left at least one person still missing. The flood was determined to have been caused by unchecked run-off that simply had nowhere to go, even though the area is surrounded by a web of small streams and rivers that can absorb huge amounts of water. The effect of run-off water streaming from every paved surface is simply too much for even a vast system of waterways to channel safely.

Many municipalities have begun to take the threat of run-off very seriously. In San Diego, the problem was deemed to be so dire that the city sent out officials to visit businesses, schools, rec centers and commercial buildings to educate citizens about the need for conserving green spaces and the wisdom of creating new paved surfaces very sparingly. In that region of little precipitation, canyons act as storm control channels, and any buildings or homes located in the path of these canyons are in deep trouble during times of sustained rains.

In the state of Maryland, a special tax has been proposed to create a financial incentive to avoid the addition of new paved areas. The tax would be based on the square footage of pavement, rooftop, or other hard surfaces at each residence or business. The situation behind this type of tax reflects a predicament common to many municipal areas: the major cities in the State of Maryland, particularly Baltimore, have water and sewer infrastructure that is ancient, crumbling, and woefully inadequate. Every major storm causes the release of raw sewage directly into waterways. Buildings near these waterways — mostly low-income homes — suffer this raw sewage rising from toilets, bathtubs, and sinks. The sewage also spews directly into the Chesapeake Bay — the major economic, recreational, and job-producing asset of the state.

October 30, 2012 flooding, Monocacy River, Dickerson, MD. USEPA Photo by Eric Vance. Public domain image

Opponents of this tax designed to reduce run-off into the bay slapped a silly and misleading nickname onto the law in order to foment (a largely successful) taxpayer rebellion. The tax became derided as the “Rain Tax” and people were encouraged to think that they were being unfairly taxed for the uncontrollable act of nature known as rain. Although it is true that we cannot hope to control rain itself, we can all do our part to help our property to absorb rain rather than allow it to run off into storm drains. Perhaps a better name for the tax might have been the “Save the Bay” tax … or “Flood Prevention Tax” … because that is precisely what is at stake.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Rolling the Dice for a 100-Year Flood

Scientists say Hurricane Harvey was a 1000-year flood event, considered so rare we are unlikely to see anything like it for some time. However, there is a chance, albeit a small one, that the U.S. could see a storm of that magnitude again this year.

Consider other memorable storms. Hurricane Andrew, which devastated Florida and the Carolinas in 1986, was called a 100-year event. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina, another 100-year storm, flooded New Orleans. Sandy, the hurricane that famously flooded New York City in 2012, was dubbed a 700-year storm. After Harvey rolled through Houston last year, 100-year-storm Irma brought historic flooding to the Florida Keys and Gulf Coast.

A common misconception is that these seemingly rare events can only happen once in a given period of time. Using this logic, a 1,000-year flood is an event that occurs just one time in 1,000 years. In fact, a 1000-year flood actually has a 1 in 1000 chance, or a .1 % probability, of happening in any given year.

So, should we plan for another catastrophic flood event in the U.S. this year?

The answer lies in understanding the probability of natural hazard events. According to the National Weather Service, the probability of another 500-year flood this year in Houston is .2 % or 1 in 500. NWS explains, “If a 100-year flood event occurs, that does NOT mean that people are ‘safe’ for 99 years. The risk of having the flood in any given year is the same.”

Roll the Dice

To understand probabilities for a 100-year flood, roll the dice.

If the chance of rolling a 6 is 1/6, what happens if you roll the dice six times? Does it equal a 100% chance? It is better to consider your chances of not rolling a 6, or 5/6. Instead of counting all the possibilities, simply multiply the chance that the roll will not be a 6 by the next chance it will not be a 6 and so on. Using the equation 5/6 x 5/6 x 5/6 x 5/6 x 5/6 x 5/6, you can determine the chance that you would not roll a 6. Subtract that number from 100% to determine the probability that you would roll a 6 in six attempts. The number is 66.5%, not 100%.

Using this logic for a 100-year flood, you can see that the chance that event will not happen is 99% for a given year. However, over longer periods of time, there is a greater probability for a 100-year flood (see chart.)

Houston should have been ready for Harvey. It had already endured consecutive 500-year floods in 2015 and 2016. The frequency of these so-called “rare” flood events in recent years makes a strong case to plan for events that are unlikely to happen, but can and do happen.

For information on flood mitigation planning, visit www.floodpanel.com.

Storm Costs Rise with Development Along Vulnerable Coasts

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently reported that last year’s storms, mudslides, wildfires and other natural disasters cost $306 billion in total damages, making 2017 the most expensive year on record.

Scientists continue to debate the role of climate change in the frequency and severity of these catastrophic events. However, “one key factor that is also known to be worsening damage is that there is more valuable infrastructure, such as homes and businesses, in harm’s way…” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/01/08/hurricanes-wildfires-made-2017-the-most-costly-u-s-disaster-year-on-record/?utm_term=.0fb11f2871ed)

Coastlines Remain Attractive to Developers

Despite the known risks, coastal communities most vulnerable to a major storm remain attractive to developers and their clients eager to live and work in those areas. Many consider current flood maps to be highly inaccurate. As a result, FEMA has allowed engineers to adjust elevations using fill, levees and drainage, paving the way for new development – in some cases just two inches higher than the floodplain. In the last five years, FEMA has allowed 150,000 map changes. (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/02/us/houston-flood-zone-hurricane-harvey.html)

The Woodlands in Texas is one of those communities. Revisions to local flood maps approved by FEMA allowed development in an area previously considered swampland. Because these structures were built above the floodplain, most homeowners were not required to hold flood insurance. FEMA statistics indicate that nearly 100 percent of homes near Spring Creek, which flows through The Woodlands, were flooded during the historic flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. Check out our blog for a closer look at how human development made Houston storm flooding the worst in history.

Managing Flood Risks Before a Storm

Commercial businesses in flood prone coastal communities should take steps to minimize and manage the risks of flooding before disaster strikes. This can be done in two ways:

Physically through mitigation measures such as flood barriers, flood panels and flood doors
Financially through insurance

First, businesses must determine the risk of flooding and the potential losses associated with a major flood event. What is the probability of a flood? What costs will not be offset by insurance? What will it cost to rebuild if necessary?

Then National Flood Insurance Program, flood plain maps, as well as federal and local building codes and ordinances provide a lot of valuable information that can inform business owners about flood risk in their specific community. They should consider the likelihood of a flood event, from frequent, nuisance flooding to major, catastrophic events like hurricanes. Planning should also factor in events like a 500-year flood, which may seem highly unlikely, but could happen.

For more information, read our blog for specific steps contractors and business owners can take to minimize flood risk.

Page 9

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 17:52:31 GMT

Busy Hurricane Season Predicted for 2018

A study by the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project predicts another busy hurricane season for 2018 with 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes expected. Although less active than last year, the number of storms is slightly higher than the 30-year average of 12 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.

Forecasters are wary to sound the alarm. They point to Hurricane Andrew, a category 5 hurricane that devastated South Florida in 1992. That year recorded only six named storms and one sub-tropical storm. In contrast, 2010 was a highly active year with 19 named storms and 12 hurricanes in the Atlantic. Just one tropical storm made landfall in the U.S. that season. Read the full story here.

According to NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division, “The U.S. averages one to two hurricane landfalls each season.” Last year, three category 4 hurricanes made landfall in the U.S. in Houston, South Florida and Puerto Rico. Damage from these storms is still impacting those regions, even as we close in on the 2018 hurricane season.

Coastal communities along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard would be wise to take precautions. A new study puts more than 40 million people living within areas at risk to floods. (Read our recent blog for more on that study.)

Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Long before a storm hits, building owners should contact the local emergency management agency to find out if any active flood warning systems are in place. The National Weather Service river-forecast centers prepare river-flood predictions and disseminate them to the public through NWS offices. Note these forecasts do not include many non-residential buildings near smaller streams. Property owners in those areas should work with local and state agencies to develop an adequate forecasting system.

Building owners who have taken steps to mitigate potential flood damage with dry floodproofing systems such as floodgates, floodpanels and flood doors should develop detailed flood emergency operational plans. Plans should include information on how floodproofing measures work during and after a flood event. For example, equipment that requires electricity, such as a sump pump, needs power throughout a flood event.

The plan should establish a chain of command, delineate personnel notification procedures, assign specific duties, describe locations for floodproofing measures, detail install and repair procedures, and include evacuation instructions. It should also include a periodic drill and training program, and a schedule for regular evaluation and updates. Owners should also schedule inspection and maintenance for all flood protected enclosures.

As the 2018 hurricane season approaches, no one knows for sure what impacts this year’s storms will have on the U.S. coasts. For those potentially in harm’s way, it’s best to heed the saying, “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.”

Houston Rebuilds with Flooding in Mind

Photo by Eli Christman, Creative Commons License

When one hears the name, “Tangier Island”, pleasant thoughts of tropical vistas with swaying palm trees might come to mind. But in reality, Tangier Island is located off the coast of Virginia, and its primary claim to fame is not balmy beauty but the fact that the island has lost almost 70% of its land mass since the year 1850. Today, Tangier Island is a fast-disappearing symbol of climate change and sea level rise.

According to the most recent census, 727 people make their homes on Tangier Island, which has an area of about one square mile. The island is sandy and sits at a very low-elevation; most of the land is just 3-4′ above sea level. The problem for the inhabitants of this island is that sea level is increasing every year, and at the same time, the land itself is sinking due to the residual effects of an ancient glacier. According to most estimates made by environmental scientists, the entire island will be swallowed by the sea over the next 50 years… if the island keeps losing land at the current rate.

Tangier Island is part of a vulnerable group of islands scattered across the Chesapeake Bay. In the past, these islands numbered well over 500, and were important summer residences for Native American people. The islands even today are rich with oyster beds and crab fisheries, and these resources sustained Native American populations for hundreds of years before the Europeans arrived. Huge piles of ancient oyster shells have been found on the islands, including Tangier, as well as thousands of arrow and spear heads. The weapons are evidence that the islands were once much larger than they are today, and that they supported healthy populations of larger game animals.

Once the Europeans arrived at the Chesapeake Bay, things changed quickly. Native American populations were decimated by disease, encroachment, and the technological advantages of the invaders. A population of British seafarers and fishermen drove off the Native Americans, and settled on Tangier Island. Many habitants living there today are descendants of these hardy seamen, and still bear the old surnames and- because of the extreme isolation of the island- even now present the accented English of their forebears.

However, no amount of pluck and perseverance will be able to save the current residents of Tangier Island. Already today, the island is being swallowed by the sea, and the future looks grim even by the most optimistic of estimates. The land that is still above water is becoming marshy and squishy underfoot, and the sea swallows many meters of coastline every year. People who own homes and businesses on Tangier find themselves looking at a future of homelessness and displacement, with no hope of being able to sell off their assets.

While there is is currently a prospective rescue plan for the island, the plan is projected to cost in the range of $30m- a figure that is completely untenable to save an island important only to the 700 people who live there. And Tangier Island is only one of many endangered inhabited islands on the Chesapeake Bay- why save this particular island and not the others? At the same time, the coastal cities that line the Eastern Seaboard are competing for limited funds to install flood barriers, berms, and other flood control devices in order to stave off inundation. Flooding will be an ever-increasing part of life for all who live near the sea. For those who live surrounded by the sea, flooding will soon claim their entire world.

Source: FloodBarrierUSA

New Study Greatly Expands US Flood Zone

A team of UK-US engineers and scientists have presented their findings, after using cutting-edge technology to study flood patterns in the US. The results of the study, which were detailed at the 2017 American Geophysical Union meeting, appear to show that the current flood hazard maps used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are woefully out of date and incorrect. The official FEMA flood hazard map is used to determine which properties must carry mandatory flood insurance, based on the officially-assessed risk. If the flood hazard zones are incorrectly identified, many properties may be left at risk of uninsured damage or destruction.

According to the team of researchers, there are approximately 40 million people now living within areas that have a 1% chance of flooding each year. This sounds inconsequential at first perusal, but this level of flood risk is also known as the ‘100-year floodplain’. As we know from recent disasters, the 100-year floods are happening with dreadful regularity in many parts of the US, often in locations that have never flooded before! If a property experiences flooding that was considered by FEMA to be improbable, it is likely that the property was not insured- in which case the owners stand to lose everything without compensation- the funds needed to rebuild. This scenario can destroy lives as well as houses.

As the map above shows, as of April 2017, much of the country has already received updated flood maps in the form of preliminary or effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Source: FEMA.gov

Although the new study estimates 40 million people living inside the risk zone, FEMA estimates only 13 million people are living within the 100-year floodplain … a substantially smaller risk pool. This means that as many as 27 million people may be at risk of being underinsured or completely uninsured for flood damage because their property has not been determined by FEMA to be at risk. It may be that many of these people are living with a very false sense of security!

Why do the FEMA numbers differ so drastically from the results presented by the UK-US scientists? This is a question of profound importance to the many millions of people who may be risking disaster, as well as to the engineers and scientists at FEMA who compile the statistics to produce the official flood hazard maps. According to the scientists who were involved with the study, FEMA concentrates too heavily on coastal flooding, and not enough attention is given to floodplains close to rivers, which can be subject to flash flooding during heavy rainfall. The new study was conducted with improved scientific techniques that identified every possible flood zone along US rivers, and here they simulated heavy precipitation events. The results of these simulations are a wake-up call to those who own property in these areas.

So far, the results of this alarming new study have not been utilized by FEMA officials, but the agency is aware of the study and is taking a look at the newly-released data. If the results are embraced and translated into action, many millions of people in the US will find themselves suddenly in need of expensive flood insurance. That would be a hardship, to be sure. But with trillions of dollars worth of assets currently unprotected, an even greater hardship looms as a very real possibility.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Nor’easters Cause More Flooding than Hurricanes in the Northeast

March 2018 roared in like a lion on the East Coast with four nor’easters in just three weeks. These storms brought heavy rain, snow, high winds, coastal flooding and beach erosion to major cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

While hurricanes are notorious for their destructive force, nor’easters deliver the most flooding and damage to the Northeast. Superstorm Sandy, a hurricane, produced the largest storm surge on record for New York City. However, nor’easters caused 88 of the top 100 storm surges in that area, according to a study by Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists.

In Boston this year, nor’easters hit especially hard with catastrophic flooding that destroyed businesses and homes along the coast. The city recorded a historic flood crest of 15.16 feet during a January storm, and a 14.67 crest in March, the third highest on record for that city.

“There is a tendency to misinterpret the worst effects of a nor’easter. They are usually associated with heavy snow that can shut down major interstates, ground flights and reduce visibility to near nothing. Those effects are certainly crippling, but much of the lasting damage is along the coast, where entire beaches wash away and hundreds — maybe thousands — of homes flood.” (“Major nor’easter will inflict destructive wind and coastal flooding on northeast,” Washington Post, 2/28/2018)

What is a Nor’easter?

According to The Weather Channel, “A nor’easter is an area of low pressure along the East Coast of the United States that typically features winds from the northeast Atlantic Ocean.” In the Northeast, most people think of them as winter storms because of their frequency in that season and tendency to deliver significant snowfall.

The classic nor’easter, referred to by meteorologists as Miller Type-A, forms along the Gulf or East Coast and travels north along the coast. A second type, Miller Type-B, starts in the Midwest, moves east and then reforms along the east coast where it resembles the classic nor’easter. The March storms of 2018 followed the Miller Type-B track.

According to Jeff Masters, a meteorologist and blogger with Weather Underground, nor’easters are fueled by the collision of cold, dry air from the north and moist air from the ocean. Hurricanes have a warm core and need tropical water for energy. In contrast, nor’easters have a cold core and thrive in the colder waters of New England, slowly strengthening along the coast where hurricanes typically die.

Nor’easters vs. Hurricanes

The swirling cloud images of nor’easters and hurricanes taken from space may look alike at first glance, but that is where the similarities end.

Nor’easters are not tropical storms. They generally form between Georgia and New Jersey, while hurricanes typically develop in the tropics, first as thunderstorms off the coast of Africa or as low-pressure systems in the Atlantic.

Nor’easters occur 20-40 times a year in the Northeast . They are more common between October and April, but can form anytime of the year. In comparison, a hurricane makes landfall in the Northeast once every five years. Nor’easters are not only more frequent, but at least two a year are considered severe.

Nor’easters are bigger storms . Typically 3-4 times the size of a hurricane, nor’easters are the largest weather systems in the world and can impact a third or more of the U.S. at one time (“Hurricanes vs. nor’easters. What makes them different?,” Washington Post, 2/13/13). In comparison, a typical hurricane is 300 miles wide.

Nor’easters are slow . They move slower than hurricanes, often impacting one stretch of coastline over several days and tide cycles. A single hurricane may cause more damage than a single nor’easter. However, the frequency and duration of nor’easters can cause billions of dollars in cumulative damages from repetitive coastal flooding, power outages and prolonged wind and waves that erode beaches.

As recent storms have proven, nor’easters pack a punch with the potential for flooding on an epic scale. Residents in coastal communities in the path of these frequent storms should take pre-emptive steps to minimize flood damage from the next nor’easter. It’s not a question of if, but when.

For more information on flood mitigation, visit www.floodpanel.com.

Page 8

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 17:32:48 GMT

ALERT: East Coast Should Prepare for Hurricane Florence

9/10/18 – The National Hurricane Center has issued a special statement regarding Hurricane Florence, now a Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic taking aim at the U.S. East Coast and expected to make landfall on Thursday or Friday this week. Read the 11 am advisory.

Key messages from the Center:

• Life-threatening storm surge is likely along the coastlines of South and North Carolina and Virginia

• Life-threatening fresh water flooding is likely from a long and exceptionally heavy rainfall event, which may extend inland over the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic

• Damaging hurricane force winds are likely along portions of the coasts of South Carolina and North Carolina, which could spread inland

• Large swells affecting Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast will continue this week, resulting in life-threatening surf and rip currents.

We advise all Flood Panel LLC customers on the U.S. East Coast, especially along the Carolina and Virginia coastlines, to prepare for a major hurricane. Install your Flood Panel solutions and put your Flood Emergency Operational Plans into action now.

For the latest information on Hurricane Florence, check with The National Hurricane Center.

Read the Flood Panel blog post for more information about planning for flood emergencies.

8 Tips for Reducing Flood Risk

Photo by Eli Christman, Creative Commons License

Source: FloodBarrierUSA

FEMA Proposal to Rebuild After Floods Falls Short

by Tom Osborne

A new proposal by the Federal Emergency Management Agency would enable people whose homes were destroyed by floods and then bought out by the government to retain the flood-prone lands to rebuild or sell. If adopted, it would contradict FEMA’s long-standing policy of buying out and removing homes repeatedly damaged by floods, and then converting that land into open space.

The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from the New Jersey Flood Plain Managers and the National Resource Defense Council who believe it will perpetuate building on land at greatest risk to flooding and at highest cost to taxpayers.

According to the NRDC, “By purchasing a damaged house, paying for its demolition, and then allowing the owner to rebuild, FEMA is encouraging a maladaptive practice that does little to reduce long-term flood risk and flood damages.” (Read the NRDC blog post.)

FEMA’s current policy to repurpose land into open space is short-sighted and makes little practical sense. Why would a person who paid millions for a home by the shore allow the government to take the land instead of pre-emptively working with an engineer to create a hurricane-proof structure raised above the flood plain? This has been the norm here in Florida for some time.

New York and New Jersey could learn a lot from the work that Florida has done to change code requirements and help homeowners and businesses deal with the constant issues of hurricanes and flooding. The approach in Florida is all about storm hardening, not giving up.

I suspect the new FEMA proposal stems from lawsuits and politicians worried about the impact of undeveloped land on the tax base. Either way, if FEMA is going to burden taxpayers with the cost of rebuilding, the international building code must be enforced and special engineering standards must be met for all structures built in a flood zone. It makes sense.

FEMA’s proposal is not without problems. It would grant rebuilding money to homeowners who were approved for flood insurance without following dry flood proofing protocols. The maximum insurance payout was $250,000. Under the new policy, the homeowner would be able to collect the full value of the home, potentially millions of dollars.

Taxpayers should not be responsible for a gambler’s debit, penalized by short-sighted homeowners who decide to roll the dice rather than pay higher insurance premiums to protect their homes.

It is troubling that homeowners are not required to follow the same dry flood proofing guidelines as commercial building and business owners. FEMA must take steps to ensure that rebuilding funds are distributed only if dry flood proofing protocols are met. Without that assurance, taxpayers will be caught in a vicious cycle of paying every time these properties are wiped out by floods.

Tom Osborne is the owner and president of Flood Panel, LLC based in Jupiter, Florida. He oversees design, development and manufacturing of flood mitigation products for commercial buildings in flood zones nationwide. Osborne works closely with the Association of Flood Plain Managers and is a member of the Small Business Association of America. He is also a Certified Provider of Continuing Education for the American Institute of Architects for Dry Flood Proofing Commercial Buildings.

An Unexpected Flood Threat: Ice Dams

We are all too familiar with annual springtime floods that arise from a deadly combination of snowmelt and seasonal showers. But there is an unexpected threat that can sometimes produce floods when we may least expect it: in the dead of winter. Several communities in recent months have been either actually flooded or under severe flood threat when rivers and large streams began to pack up chunks of ice against rocks, bridges, or narrow culverts. The resulting jam of mini-icebergs built up against itself, then froze solid into a veritable dam that backed up still-moving water with deadly speed.

During the early months of this year, there have been many flooding events caused by ice dams that sent frigid rivers streaming onto roads, residential communities, and businesses. More than a few of these events occurred in the State of Maine, which is blessed with many wild rivers and, some would say, cursed with very cold weather. At any rate, a quick search of 2018 flooding records will turn up many floods in this state caused by ice dams.

Heavy rains and swiftly warming temperatures followed a prolonged cold spell in the Northeastern U.S., leading to a long ice jam that clogged the Connecticut River. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite collected natural-color (left) and false-color (right) images of the ice on January 18, 2018. In the false-color image, ice appears light blue, and open water appears black. A second large jam is visible south of Haddam, Connecticut.

One such flood took place in Fryeburg, Maine, when the Saco River was blocked by a huge ice dam that sent a deep sheet of water flooding across the aptly named River Street. Due to the frigid temperatures that caused the ice dam to form, the flooded water quickly turned to a thick sheet of ice that covered the road; this was very difficult to remove without breaking up the underlying road itself. Luckily, this flood did not threaten any residential communities, but it did force the closure of River Street and caused inconvenient traffic detours.

Other communities were not so lucky. The town of Kent, Connecticut suffered dreadful anxiety, inconvenience, and damage from a mile-long ice dam on the nearby Housatonic River. This ice dam backed up for miles onto major roadways and residential areas. Naturally, as soon as the floodwater intruded into roads, it froze solid into a massive block of ice that stretched for miles along crucial transportation routes. In some areas, cars and other vehicles were completely encased in a block of ice that reached halfway up to the roof. Desperate citizens called for the ice dam to be broken up with dynamite or wrecking balls, so plagued were they by the resulting “ice flood” that impacted a vast area.

Residences that are flooded during this season are similarly afflicted by the fact that ice is exponentially more difficult to deal with than is regular flood water. Hot water heaters and furnaces are typically located in cellars, and when a basement is entombed by a foot of ice it cannot even be pumped out! The home quickly becomes uninhabitable when heating systems are gripped by solid ice.

Essential services in areas that may be exposed to floods — no matter what the cause — must be protected by mechanical flood panels, geographical flood defenses, or other flood barriers if emergency response is to remain available during these disasters. Ice dams, and the unexpected and very sudden flooding that these dams can cause, are just one more reason to ensure that ALL hospitals, clinics, and fire stations remain protected by the new flood panel technologies that are available today. In this case, a penny well spent on prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 7

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 17:04:20 GMT

Rising Sea Levels Threaten U.S. Military Might

U.S. military bases on the nation’s coastline are at increased risk to “catastrophic damage” from flooding due to rising sea levels, according to a recent article by NBCNews and InsideClimate News.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association reports that global sea level is rising, and at an increasing rate. “In 2014, global sea level was 2.6 inches above the 1993 average—the highest annual average in the satellite record (1993-present).”

Rising sea levels expose many coastal communities to increased flooding caused by high tides and storms. According to NOAA, nuisance flooding from high tides and rain events is as much as “900 percent more frequent within U.S. coastal communities than it was just 50 years ago.”

High Risk Military Bases

Many of America’s strategic military bases are vulnerable to flooding, according to another report by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The Kennedy Space Center (Florida), US Naval Academy (Maryland), Washington Navy Yard (DC), and the Naval Air Station Key West (Florida) are among those at greatest risk.

The Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia is in particular peril. The site is one of only four shipyards designed to maintain the U.S. arsenal of nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers, critical to U.S. defense and humanitarian missions. In the last ten years, the shipyard was impacted by nine major floods. Each event caused equipment damage and maintenance delays that affected the entire U.S. naval fleet.

Looming Disaster?

Sea level at Norfolk has risen 1.5 feet in the last 30 years causing an increase in nuisance flooding. After Hurricane Matthew dumped historic rain on the area, the Navy spent $1.2 million to repair one building badly damaged by flooding.

Most experts agree that a looming disaster for the shipyard is not a question of if, but when. Hurricane Florence came close to Norfolk in September 2018, veering south to bring a flooding crisis in Wilmington, N.C.

A recent computer simulation of a Category 4 Hurricane on Norfolk by the Federal Emergency Management Agency predicts a 12-15 foot storm surge that would submerge the entire area. A news release described the potential disaster as “New Orleans without the levee system.”

Protection from Rising Sea Levels

The military has been sitting on this issue for years. In 2010, the Quadrennial Defense Review made it clear that climate change should be a Department of Defense priority. In 2011, a Navy-commissioned National Research Council report warned that 56 Naval facilities worth $100 billion would be threatened if sea level rose three feet.

Since that report was published, little has been done to protect these assets from the threat of rising sea levels. Political resistance to climate change issues has blocked or slowed efforts to fund resiliency projects that would shore up America’s defenses before it is too late.

In Norfolk, the Navy dodged disaster in 2018, but climate change and rising sea levels remain a clear and present danger to U.S. military might.

Tangier Island: Doomed?

Photo by Eli Christman, Creative Commons License

Source: FloodBarrierUSA

Flood Logs Protect Historic Site from Hurricane Florence

In September 2018 at historic Revolution Mill in Greensboro, North Carolina, Hurricane Florence threatened with high wind, rain and storm flooding. The structure weathered the worst of the storm thanks to Flood Log™ flood barriers from Flood Panel LLC.

Revolution Mill

Revolution Mill is a unique building complex that houses more than 100 businesses, meeting and conference facilities, 150 loft apartments, outdoor performance spaces, public art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, greenway trails and more.

On the National Registry of Historic Places, the building was the first flannel mill in the South and by 1930 was the largest exclusive flannel producer in the world. Manufacturing in North Carolina declined in the mid-1900s and the Mill eventually closed. In 2012, a $100 million redevelopment project transformed the site into its current state.

Revolution Mill sits along North Buffalo Creek, a stream prone to flooding from seasonal rainstorms and hurricanes. Recognizing the vulnerability of this historic space, management purchased Flood Logs from Flood Panel LLC to protect the site from water damage during a flood event.

Hurricane Florence

Hurricane Florence began like many hurricanes in the Atlantic, as a tropical wave off the coast of Africa first identified by meteorologists on August 30, 2018.

By September 7, Florence had strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane with a bullseye on the North Carolina coast. Two weeks after it was first identified, Hurricane Florence made landfall in Wilmington, N.C. on September 14 as a Category 1 hurricane.

Gradually the storm weakened, but began to slow down moving only 2-3 miles per hour. Storm surge plus historic rainfall caused catastrophic flooding along the North Carolina coast. At one point, the entire city of Wilmington was completely cut off by flooded roadways. Some places recorded over 30 inches of rainfall and many rivers overflowed their banks.

Ready for the Storm

Management at Revolution Mill was ready for major flooding due to sudden storms, flash floods and hurricanes. They had 27 sets of Flood Logs to safeguard the structure.

Fortunately, Hurricane Florence gave the building maintenance crew a lot of time to prepare. “We saw it coming and we were watching developments,” said Don Elliott, Maintenance Supervisor, Revolution Mill. “We had a crew on site to put the Flood Logs up as soon as we knew we needed them.”

According to Elliott, they deployed 22 of the 27 sets of Flood Logs to secure the most vulnerable openings. Installation was fast and easy.

Although many businesses in North Carolina sustained major damage from the storm, Revolution Mill was spared. Flood water was an issue at only one of the protected entryways.

The Flood Logs held up to the rising water, which rose to three feet on one side of the building. According to Elliott, “Water rose outside an area of the building under renovation to become retail space. The water would have caused a lot of damage.”

Once the danger had passed, Revolution Mill stored the Flood Logs on custom racks. For now, they sit idle in storage, but ready for the next storm.

Flood Barrier Certification Provides Peace of Mind in a Flood

One of the most destructive aspects of storms like Hurricane Florence is the catastrophic flooding caused by storm surge and prolonged heavy rainfall. Water damages or destroys many homes and businesses thought to be out of harm’s way.

When flooding strikes, building owners need to know that their property and assets will be protected. Flood doors, flood panels and other flood barrier solutions can provide some peace of mind in a flood event. But how can one know with any degree of certainty that those measures will work?

Interest in Flood Barrier Testing

Several years ago, at a conference sponsored by the Association of State Flood Plain Managers and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, attendees called for a national program to test flood barriers that would standardize quality and differentiate products that worked from those that did not.

Meanwhile, FM Global, one of the world’s largest business and property insurers, was also taking steps to address the problem at its insured facilities worldwide. In 2006, its subsidiary FM Approvals created a standard for testing and certifying flood loss prevention products. FM Approvals Standard 2510 was adopted by the American National Standards Institute. It is the only U.S. national standard for flood barrier products.

In 2012, ASFPM partnered with USACE and FM Approvals to develop the National Flood Barrier Testing & Certification Program based on the ANSI/FM Approvals Standard 2510. It “assures manufacturers and consumers that a product, which has been objectively tested, conforms to national standards.” The program awards national recognition and FM Approval certification for products that meet requirements.

Flood barrier certification requires a battery of tests, audits of the manufacturing facility and supporting operational guidelines. This process ensures certified flood solutions will stand up to waves, hydrostatic forces and impact from floating debris. FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program have adopted the requirements for floodproofing nonresidential structures.

Flood Barrier Certification Requirements

The testing and certification program is a five-step process that includes 1) Application, 2) Proposal Issue and Manufacturer Authorization, 3) Testing and First Audit, 4) Report and Certification, and 5) Follow-up Audits.

The program evaluates temporary perimeter barriers, set just before a flood event, and opening barriers including doors, windows and vents. It includes component testing, performance (water) testing and manufacturing facility auditing. According to an FM Approvals representative, each step is important because “a product is only as good as its weakest link.”

The USACE conducts water testing to “examine the ability of a product to withstand flood related exposure, such as hydrodynamic, overtopping, velocity and debris.” FM Approvals manages materials testing to “examine the ability of a product to withstand the forces of nature that impinge upon the product when deployed.”

The USACE evaluates temporary perimeter barriers at its facility in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Tests on closure barriers can be conducted in Vicksburg, at a manufacturing facility or at an independent laboratory approved by FM Approvals. The Flood Lab at Flood Panel LLC headquarters in Jupiter, Florida is an example of an approved manufacturer facility.

Manufacturers are also required to develop a “Design, Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual” that outlines repair and replace instructions for the product. Additionally, the manufacturer must create a post installation checklist to be completed by the installer and kept on file at the manufacturer facility.

FM Approvals visits the manufacturing facility to confirm that quality guidelines are set to ensure consistent production of the product. During these audits, FM Approvals also verifies that completed installation checklists are on file.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers testing facility in Mississippi. Photo credit: USACE

Finally, FM Approvals conducts periodic follow-up audits at the manufacturing facility to ensure that nothing has changed with the certified product.

The flood barrier certification and testing program outlines three levels:

Silver: Water (at least one foot hydrostatic test) and material testing, plant and product inspection, and follow-up verification.
Gold: Water (at least two foot hydrostatic test) and material testing, plant and product inspection, and follow-up verification.
Platinum: Water (at least three foot hydrostatic test) and material testing, plant and product inspection, and follow-up verification.

Will it Work?

Tom Osborne, president of Flood Panel LLC, compares the certification program to other standards, such as UL Listings or Fire-Safety Ratings, which assure consumers that building products meet standards set by the industry.

Building owners want assurance that their flood prevention safeguards will keep water out when flooding occurs. The National Flood Barrier Certification & Testing Program delivers third-party, objective testing of important flood protection solutions to answer the most important question, “Will it work?”

Visit nationalfloodbarrier.org for more information and a webinar about the National Flood Barrier Testing & Certification Program.

Page 6

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 14:50:29 GMT

Bomb Cyclone Unleashes Historic Flooding

During the middle of March, a dire warning was widely broadcast regarding a severe winter storm system that was poised to strike the U.S. Midwest. In recent years, we have been presented with several sensational new weather catchphrases, such as ‘polar vortex’ and ‘bombogenesis’. The extreme weather warning of this week was also given a horrifyingly descriptive name: we were told that the thing bearing down on a huge portion of the U.S. was called a ‘bomb cyclone’.

It turns out that these terms are not new at all, and have been in use for some time in meteorological circles. Polar vortex, bombogenesis, and bomb cyclone are all actual meteorological terms that describe specific weather conditions. For example, the term bomb cyclone is also called explosive cyclogenesis, and describes an explosively strengthening storm that is capable of unleashing immense power and destruction. That power and destruction was inflicted on a large swath of the Rockies and Great Plains regions, from Nebraska all the way down to Texas.

A satellite image taken on March 13, 2019 shows a large storm system moving towards the eastern United States. GOES-East/NOAA

The storm itself was brutal. Interstates were shut down or blocked by debris, and transportation was all but impossible. The ferocity of the storm was unimaginable — an intense white-out blizzard made even more horrifying by hurricane-force winds — even a few tornadoes — all combined with frigid temperatures so low they were deadly in their own right. It was truly a worst case scenario!

Fortunately, the storm itself did not last long, and by some miracle there was only one fatality attributed to the blizzard. Immediately afterwards, however, a new threat gathered steam. All that snow and hail began to melt in the warmer spring weather that followed the bomb cyclone, and rivers and streams began to swell. Interstates once again became impassable, this time due to flooding rather than snow and ice.

Probably the worst-hit state was Nebraska, which suffered widespread transportation hazards; including sections of vital interstate highways closed, bridges washed out or damaged, and even a nuclear power plant reportedly under threat from encroaching floodwaters. The nuclear plant was later declared safe and operating at full steam, thanks to its advanced system of protective flood barriers. Still, more than half the counties in the state had been declared under a state of emergency, and citizens were urged to stay home if possible.

Throughout the affected region, historic floods devastated farms, homes, and businesses — with rivers cresting at 18′ or more. The states of Iowa and Michigan are also suffering from the aftermath of the bomb cyclone, and authorities continue to struggle with widespread flooding that may take weeks to recede. Although power has been largely restored, supply chains have been disrupted and goods and supplies are under-stocked in many areas.

Sadly, the farmers and ranchers that have already been struggling with other financial disasters will be the hardest hit by these unseasonal and unexpected floods. The massive flooding that has struck huge portions of this farm-dotted landscape has swept away livestock, barns, homes, fields, topsoil, and even expensive heavy equipment. For many farm families, these floods will inflict the final blow.

Source: FloodBarrierUSA

Cities Devise Plans to Combat Climate Change

PHOTO: Sunny day high tide nuisance flooding in Brickell, downtown Miami Florida. The morning high tide on October 17, 2016. Roughly 4.0 ft MLLW, +3 ft above MSL, 2 ft NAVD 88, about 1.75 feet MHHW for Miami, Virginia Key tide gauge. This location rounds to 0 meters/0 feet AMSL.

“Sunny Day Flooding”, also known as tidal flooding, is a phenomenon that occurs when low-lying areas are temporarily flooded during periods of unusually high tides, such as during a full moon. This may happen when the sky is clear and sunny, with not a single cloud on the horizon. During a sunny day flood event, streets can be covered by water in an unexpected way, because residents are not prepared for floods in the absence of rain or storms. Nevertheless, this flooding does occur during dry weather, and the frequency of these floods is increasing in an alarming way.

This summer, the federal government issued a warning to those who live in and around low-lying zones. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has identified dozens of communities that will suffer an increase in sunny day floods, from Miami to San Diego. The increase that is expected during the coming year is attributed to an abnormally active El Niño weather pattern, combined with sea level rise that is happening across the globe. Rapidly melting ice caps and glaciers from Antarctica to Greenland continue to feature prominently in news coverage, and videos of huge chunks of polar ice calving into the sea remind us all that we can expect major changes, and soon!

One of those changes is sure to be a flood-filled future. This year, with the hyperactive El Niño weather pattern in play, all types of floods are predicted to be a problem. But the “sunny day flood” brings a special kind of threat, mostly due to the general lack of preparation of those affected. Sea level rise, coupled with sinking coastlines along the eastern seaboard, has greatly increased the number of affected communities. During these “sunny day floods”, roads are often covered by water; and in many cases vital thoroughfares are closed until the water recedes. Flooded roads are subsequently plagued by potholes, erosion of shoulders, and instability of the roadbed, which can lead to washouts.

In addition to road damage, affected communities also suffer many other negative consequences from frequent flooding. Basements and underground parking structures for homes and businesses fill with water again and again, followed by days or weeks of backbreaking clean-up. Storm water systems can become overwhelmed and damaged, and septic systems can overflow, polluting property and waterways. Many homes in rural areas rely on septic systems for disposing of toilet wastewater, so one can only imagine how inconvenient it must be when these systems become temporarily unusable due to flooding.

Low-lying areas are particularly vulnerable, of course, and nowhere in the US is more threatened than Florida. With much of the state at or below 10′ above sea level, every inch lost to sea level rise or subsidence (sinking) of the coastline translates to real hardship for the people living in these areas. After the floods have receded, many homeowners find the rebuilding process to be all but impossible. Flood insurance, for those lucky enough to have it, becomes prohibitively expensive after a series of floods. Insurance companies or community code may suddenly require that a building be raised on stilts, or that repairs shall not be possible at all. Some zones may be declared no longer supported for rehabilitation, and repair of buildings in these areas would become illegal. When that happens, the buildings must by law be left to slowly fall apart by attrition and neglect, even as the property owner may still have to pay a mortgage for the uninhabitable home.

This year may be particularly hard for home and business owners in these low-lying communities. While coastal zones have typically suffered about five days a year of “sunny day flooding”, this record will most likely be smashed during the 2019-20 flood season. But even this is nothing compared to the predictions for 2050, by which time “sunny day floods” are projected to become a very common nuisance. Within the next thirty years, it is thought that many unlucky communities will suffer sunny day floods up to 100 days out of each year!

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Neighborhood Fix

David Levy, professor of Management, Director of the Center for Sustainable Enterprise and Regional Competitiveness, University of Massachusetts, warns “beware the big fix.” His team studied the feasibility of constructing a large barrier across Boston Harbor that would deploy large gates to protect the city from storms. The plan would cost the city an estimated $12 billion over 30 years. The study determined the high cost could not be justified in the face of uncertainty about sea-level rise and global warming.

According to Levy, most resiliency projects provide no immediate benefits and are hard to sell to the public. He recommends a “neighborhood-level approach” that includes “upgrades in housing, transportation and infrastructure.” Additionally, investment by private property owners in flood protection measures like flood gates and flood doors would lessen the public burden.

Some cities have taken steps in this direction. Last year, Miami voters approved a $400 million bond to pay for resiliency projects. In Harris County, Texas, voters still rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey approved $2.5 billion for flood protection. In San Francisco, a $425 million bond to shore up a sea wall was approved. (Read Levy’s article here, theconversation.com/climate-change-resilience-could-save-trillions-in-the-long-run-but-finding-billions-now-to-pay-for-it-is-the-hard-part-108143).

Nuisance Flood Threat

It’s not just major storms that threaten cities. Frequent nuisance flooding in Atlantic City, New Jersey and Annapolis, Maryland is taking an economic toll. According to a Stanford University study, Annapolis lost as much as $172,000 due to 3,000 missed customer visits in 2017 due to flooded businesses. (Read more here, www.bdcnetwork.com/persistent-flooding-having-economic-impact-coastal-cities.)

The most vulnerable cities seem to understand that the climate is changing and they are making efforts to prepare for what’s coming. Given the intensity of recent storms, the sooner the better.

Photo credit: By Edgar El, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60246822

The Trouble with Greenland’s Glaciers

Scientists have learned that the glaciers of Greenland and Antarctica are melting far faster than previously suspected, creating a flooding hazard to coastal communities all over the world. It is now known that many glaciers that appear to be healthy and solid from above are in fact melting from within, below the surface. This subsurface rot is suddenly revealed when huge glacier formations suddenly fracture, revealing a large empty space beneath, where the ice has already melted. A good analogy is to think of a decayed tooth. The tooth may look and feel strong, but if a cavity lurks beneath the healthy enamel, it can eat away at the tooth from inside, until it one day breaks apart. This is currently happening to huge glaciers in various parts of the world.

There is one place on earth that is causing the most concern regarding global warming in general and melting glaciers in particular. This is the great frozen island of Greenland, which is entirely covered by a huge ice sheet. For reasons not yet fully understood, the glacial ice sheet that covers Greenland is melting much faster than other glaciers. The melting and fracturing of massive glaciers in Antarctica has been reported in the news frequently, with alarming video of enormous icebergs calving and breaking apart. One glacier on the Larsen Sea Shelf calved a stupefyingly huge chunk in late 2018, and the iceberg that broke off was more than four times the size of Manhattan! As scary as this Antarctic melt truly is, the melt that is taking place in Greenland is even worse.

This Landsat data image shows how the Jakobshavn-Isbræ glacier retreated, from left to right, up the Ilulissat fjord between 1851 and 2006. Courtesy NASA Earth Observatory

But all this melting of glaciers and calving of icebergs is not causing hazards exclusively on a local basis. It is not only polar bears and walruses that will be negatively affected by this rapid melt. The freshwater that is pouring into our seas from the melted glaciers in Greenland is creating many, many other threats — up to our own front door, thousands of miles away. For example, the introduction of all this suddenly unlocked freshwater affects salinity, ocean currents, atmospheric conditions, and of course, sea level rise. All these factors affect much more than our oceans!

By the end of this century, it is expected that the planet will see a sea level rise of between half a meter and two meters, or perhaps even more. We have all seen the scary projected maps showing half of Florida swallowed by the sea, but unless we live on the Florida coastline, many of us still continue to underestimate the devastation that sea level rise will bring to all of us. In addition to losing millions of homes, farms, businesses, harbors, infrastructure, and even fisheries, sea level rise will also impact all of us by putting into motion the forces that create stronger and more frequent hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, monsoons, and even wildfires. In short, we will all be affected, to some extent, by the glaciers melting in Greenland, no matter where we live.

While the worst of this dire future remains outside the life span of people alive today (and it is hoped that corrective measures may be able to reverse or slow the threats) some of these effects are already being felt today. Sea level rise is indisputably eating away at our coastal communities, and flooding is an ever greater threat with each year that goes by. Fortunately, great innovations in the area of flood defense are giving businesses and homeowners important flood-fighting weapons in the struggle against floods. Even as floods become more powerful and frequent, so the flood barriers are constantly being improved and adapted to stay one step ahead of the threat.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Why Some Areas are “Sinking” Faster than Others

A new article (https://www.popsci.com/sea-levels-rising-unevenly) recently published by Popular Science explains some quirks of sea level rise in a way that is easy for non-scientists to understand. The author, Marlene Cimons, uses a see-saw metaphor to help us to visualize the forces at work as changes in sea level affects the coastline differently in different areas.

The average lay person probably envisions sea level rise as a uniform phenomenon that simply increases the volume of the ocean, causing it to encroach the land masses equally all around the globe. But this is not how it happens in reality, and Ms. Cimon’s article helps us to understand why, as she describes the natural process that is called ‘post-glacial rebound’.

When a large glacier covers a land mass, the extreme weight of the huge ice feature weighs down the land under the glacier, but the ice-free edges are squeezed upwards. We can easily visualize this by thinking of the see-saw: when one side is down, the other side must go up. If we push on a water balloon, for example, the center of the ballon goes down but the edges go up. Over a long period of time the glacial ice has melted, and the weight has been lifted off the land. This results in the formerly weighed-down land springing back up, with the previously uplifted land sinking back down. Of course, none of this happens quickly, so in this sense the see-saw comparison is misleading. Even though the glaciers that once covered much of the northeastern U.S. have disappeared thousands of years ago, the land is today still see-sawing slowly in response to the changes created by the melting.

NOAA’s Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper is an online tool that allows the user to create and share maps of sea level rise and flooding, and view the potential populations impacted.

So in our present day we have land that is slowly rising in some places and slowly sinking in other places. This movement is not perceptible to us, and yet it is happening quickly enough that it can be measured during our lifetime. It is due to this post-glacial rebound that areas such as the Chesapeake Bay region are experiencing faster and more extreme sea level rise than an area that was not affected by glaciers. This region was historically located at the uplifted edges of a glacier during the distant past, and is now sinking, while simultaneously being inundated by sea level rise. These two factors, working together, make these areas of land much more likely to be inundated, because they are physically sinking at the same time that sea level rise is encroaching the entire coastline.

We now know with a high degree of certainty that this sea level rise is caused primarily by two things: the melting ice caps that are adding unfathomable amounts of fresh water into the oceans, and the warming of the oceans themselves, which physically expands the water. These forces, combined with the post-glacial settling of certain geographical areas, all work together to make it appear that some zones are being inundated at a much faster rate. These areas are today serving as canaries in the coal mine, and the alarming loss of land in these zones is perhaps waking up communities that are currently less affected.

With sea level rise speeding up measurably (and observably) even during one human lifetime, the need for flood defense and long-term planning has reached a critical status. Communities and municipalities that fail to learn from what is happening in Norfolk, Virginia will pay dearly in the near future. Zones that were formerly not known to flood will soon be suffering unspeakable flood damage and devastation if prudent measures are not put into place NOW.

Source: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 5

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 14:30:07 GMT

NFIP Announces Reprieve for Policy Holders

PHOTO: New Orleans, LA, March 8, 2006 – The level of flooding from Hurricane Katrina is evident by the yellow water line across the awning and pillars of this house in Gentilly. The homeowner had coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and was eligible for the Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) benefit since he lived in a high risk area and was elevating his home above the base flood elevation in compliance with the community’s floodplain ordinance. Robert Kaufmann/FEMA

Property owners who need flood insurance have just been handed a one-year reprieve that comes with good news and bad news. The good news is that the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will remain unchanged for one more year, giving those who need this insurance protection a chance to enjoy a little more time with relatively affordable premiums. This is not to say that flood insurance is currently inexpensive; it most certainly is not cheap! But for many, the new rates that will kick in a year from now will make the current premiums seem very economical by comparison.

The projected changes to the NFIP have been years in the making. The program is seriously in debt to the Treasury due to years of massive storms that have ‘broken the bank’. Perhaps the best known disaster, the one that started the slide into insolvency, was Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The insurance payouts from that storm left huge deficits in the NFIP that have never been recouped. Following closely on Katrina were many other outsized storms that hit the insurance program harder and harder, like waves battering the shore during a hurricane.

What’s left of the NFIP is a ragged remnant that can not withstand much more- and this at a time when it is a certainty that much more is coming. As climate change and sea level rise produce more and stronger hurricanes, storm surges, and tidal flooding, the NFIP is not only broke, but deeply in debt. There is no disagreement about the currently dire state of the NFIP, but there is also no discussion of scrapping the program entirely. This is because the elimination of the NFIP would produce a huge and very negative impact on the nation’s economy. Nevertheless, it is generally understood that the program stands in need of a major overhaul if it is to remain viable.

The NFIP is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and is an important safeguard for millions of people in flood-prone areas. Created by Congress in the year 1968, the NFIP was intended to offer financial protection for property owners, many of whom cannot access flood insurance from private insurers. Now that the program is teetering on the brink of complete collapse, FEMA has been working on plans to reform the program in order to improve its sustainability. These plans have been controversial, to say the least.

In the past, premiums and flood risk ratings have been based on data from the 1970’s, which means that this outdated risk assessment has not kept up with significant changes to climate, flood zones, and other risk factors. Now FEMA is attempting to draw up new and updated criteria for determining flood risk, one that is based on years of experience, and is meant to be much more accurate for today’s conditions. The new data-driven plan is called Risk Rating 2.0, and it is the implementation of this plan that has now been pushed back by one year.

The main problem with immediate implementation of the new plan appears to be that this happens to be an election year. While some property owners will find that their premiums will remain stable or even decrease, many, many more people will find that their rates will increase. In fact, the new risk assessments will mean financial strain for the vast majority of policy holders, and financial disaster for more than a few. When the new Risk Rating 2.0 plan was unveiled, there was widespread shock and dismay as the financial implications for policy holders became clear. It seems that FEMA had been working on Risk Rating 2.0 without releasing any information about what it might contain, and now that policy holders have had a chance to learn about what is in store they have reacted with outrage and dismay. Calls to congressional representatives in coastal districts have been flooding in, and worried pols have opted to kick the can down the road until after the elections. For now, the NFIP will continue as usual with the old premium rates, but for next year … there are ominous dark clouds gathering on the horizon.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Sunny Day Floods To Increase in Frequency

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Fighting Floods with Oysters

PHOTO: The living shoreline of cordgrass and oyster reef was built by NOAA to protect Pivers Island in Beaumont, North Carolina. NOAA Fisheries

Oysters and other shellfish are highly popular menu items, particularly in coastal towns where fresh seafood is readily available. These seaside communities are also the very places most likely to suffer flooding — and now an ingenious plan has been concocted to utilize the mountains of used shells generated by the eateries. There is now a plan to use the shells to reduce flooding!

Scientists have long known that oyster beds can help anchor vulnerable coastline and prevent erosion. However valuable these beds may be as far as environmental protection, they have not been adequately protected from overfishing and other depredations. In addition to the threat from over-harvesting, large swaths of oyster populations have been severely damaged by the increasingly intense storms that have decimated the coastline in recent decades; even established oyster reefs can be damaged if the storm is fierce enough. Acidification of the oceans due to man-made pollution also takes a toll. And lastly, oyster populations have been scraped off the sea floor by dredging and pier construction projects.

Now, thanks to recently developed techniques, there are plans in place around the country to rebuild the huge oyster communities of yesteryear, using discarded oyster shells to help get the new shellfish started. The new plans use the natural habits of the oysters to benefit both shellfish and humans! Oysters typically cement themselves to a fixed, hard object as part of their survival strategy. Lacking means of locomotion, they must affix themselves to a permanent location that offers good water circulation. Oysters are filter feeders and are believed to filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. Plankton, decomposing plant and animal material, and other organic particles are filtered by the oysters and utilized to glean nutrients. Oysters are extremely efficient as filters of other undesirable compounds and matter as well, such as nitrogen and algae, and are able to greatly improve the health and clarity of the water bodies that host them. This is yet another beneficial side product of the flood-busting scheme.

As the oysters cement themselves to the sea floor or other underwater features, their irregular shells provide habitat for many other aquatic creatures. Over time, with good husbandry and ideal conditions, huge reefs of oysters can build up, and these reefs can act as natural sea walls. The obvious advantage of these living flood barriers is that they are built and maintained by the natural organisms themselves! Once the oyster reefs are “planted” in the desirable location, the oyster reef is built over time by the oysters, and is always getting bigger and stronger with no further expenditure of dollars or human labor.

So attractive is this relatively cheap and extremely effective natural flood barrier, that federal grants have recently become available to initiate “artificial” oyster reefs in strategic locations from Manhattan to Louisiana. Enter the contributions from the seafood industry: here is where those mountains of used shells are put to good use. Oyster fry must find shelter in order to survive, and the corrugated shape of natural oyster shells are the best bet for them to find protection while they mature. So now, instead of discarding huge mounds of shells into landfills, an after-market has been created to make use of the shells in the most environmentally positive way. The used oyster shells are placed in the correct locations to form natural sea walls, and fry are introduced. Soon the dead shells provide the right conditions for new living reefs to form, and the mature oysters begin to clean the water even as they help protect from floods. A true win-win scenario!

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

10 Facts About Floods

Floods are defined as the sudden covering of normally dry land with water, usually from melting snow, burst dams, storm surge, or heavy rains. Floods can occur in any of the 50 states of the United States, and are the most common reason for a Declaration of Emergency announced by the President. Hurricanes almost always result in flooding disasters, and climate scientists believe that these massive storms will become more frequent and more destructive over the coming decades. As flooding becomes more frequent and more widespread, there will be floods in places that have rarely suffered this fate in the past. Today we take a look at some facts about floods, including a few that may be quite surprising.

Flood damage is rarely included in home or property insurance policies. Unfortunately, this very often comes as a surprise to the homeowner. To be covered for flooding, a special flood insurance policy must be purchased. In some areas, this policy can be prohibitively expensive or even not available at all!

It does not take much water to carry off a vehicle. Even a bus can be swept away by as little as two feet of water! Every year drivers who are attempting to flee floods make the deadly decision to drive through shallow but fast-moving floodwater, only to be caught up in the flood with no control over the vehicle.

Floods can happen in places where not a drop of rain is falling. The most common scenario is a placid river that suddenly becomes a death trap when a flash flood appears from unseen heavy rain upstream. These flash floods can present a wall of water up to 20′ high, with absolutely no warning!

Natural flooding is essential for farming. We all learned in grade school about the Fertile Triangle and the cradle of civilization, and that this annual flooding from the Tigris and Euphrates was necessary for the deposit of rich new soil for agriculture. Today farmers around the world still depend on floods for the same reason, and have adopted seasonal migrations to avoid the damage while reaping the benefits of this regular flooding.

The world’s most deadly flooding took place in the year 1931, along the Yellow River in China. Between 1-4 million people lost their lives during a series of floods that year.

The most common source of flooding is a river that overflows its banks during heavy snowmelt or rainfall. People who live or own businesses near rivers or estuaries must be prepared for flood damage year after year.

Wetlands are extremely important as flood mitigation agents. Wetlands act as a natural sponge to absorb extra water safely. Communities that preserve natural wetlands or even create new ones are likely to fare better during heavy rainfall or storm surges. Conversely, communities that destroy or develop wetlands are likely to experience destructive ‘areal flooding’ which occurs when there is no place for the water to go. Areal flooding occurs when wetlands are not available, and the land surface is saturated or non-permeable, such as concrete.

A full 17% of urban land resides within the 100-year flood plain. This is very bad news for these areas, as we have seen these so-called 100-year floods happening with increasing frequency- much more often than every 100 years!

Floods can happen even in a desert. As our climate changes and weather patterns shift, heavy rainfall can occur in places that were formerly reliably dry. Deserts, with arid soil and little vegetation, cannot absorb water quickly, leading to flooding.

Flood prevention measures return almost $5 for every $1 invested. With floods becoming more common every year, those who own homes or other properties must now race to invest in flood panels and other mitigation methods before heavy losses are incurred.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Page 3

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:42:50 GMT

2020 Hurricane Season Smashes Records

GRAPHIC: The list of 30 named storms that had occurred during the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season as of November 24, 2020. The 2020 season surpassed 2005 as the busiest on record. The season officially ended November 30. (NOAA)

The year 2020 was truly an annus horribilis for many, many reasons. It was the year that brought a global pandemic with its attendant economic and mental health crises, record-breaking fires in Australia and the western US, painful racial justice reckoning, a traumatic election year in the US, an exacerbation of climate-related natural disasters, and armed conflicts around the world. In keeping with this slate of death and horror, the 2020 hurricane season claimed its place as the very worst in recorded history.

At the very beginning of the 2020 hurricane season, a hyperactive year was predicted by meteorologists. There was talk that the number and intensity of this year’s hurricanes could even approach that of the most dreadful year in history: 2005, the year of the notorious Hurricane Katrina. Luckily, no hurricane that struck the US was able to equal that monstrous storm; however, the year nevertheless closed out by smashing a number of records.

In order to grasp the outrageous scale of this record-breaking storm season, let’s first take a look at the so-called ‘named storms’. Storms are named when the winds associated with the tempest reach a velocity of 39 mph, and they retain the same name even if they morph into a major hurricane with winds up to 200 mph. Storms are named in order to simplify global communications regarding the movement and development of the storm. During an average year, there are 12 named storms. In April of 2020, meteorologists warned that we would be in for an active Atlantic season with at least 16 named storms. In June, that prediction was adjusted to 19 storms. By the end of November when the Atlantic hurricane season ended, there had been 30 named storms!

With so many storms in a single year, the slate of 21 proper names was completely used up by September 18th, when Tropical Storm Wilfred strengthened from a low-key tropical wave into a proper storm with gale-force winds. Although Wilfred never developed into a major storm, it was nevertheless significant in that we had now exhausted all the designated storm names for the season, and would be tapping into the Greek alphabet names. This was just the second time in hurricane-tracking history that the Greek names had been utilized- the previous year having been 2005.

Mid-September is very early in the season to run out of proper storm names! This leaves 10 full weeks of hurricane season still to come, and 2020 filled those ten weeks with nine more named storms- almost one per week. In doing so, the year closed out with a record-breaking total of 30 named storms, smashing the previous record of 28 named storms set in 2005. Of these 30 named storms, 12 managed to make landfall in the United States.

These 12 storms, while nowhere close to wreaking the damage and expense of a storm like Hurricane Katrina, were still extremely unwelcome during this particular year. In 2020, these storms coincided with a global pandemic that was already a disaster of epic proportions. The aims of protecting the populace from the storms and protecting the same populace from the novel coronavirus were in direct opposition to each other. Evacuation of vulnerable coastal residents required that affected individuals be housed together in often cramped shelters, in tight quarters with no chance of the social distancing that can reduce disease transmission. Now, as this horrible year draws to a close, it is a great relief that none of the 12 major storms to strike the US packed the power of a Hurricane Katrina. Nevertheless, 2020 was still a year of unrelenting disaster, and the fact that it also smashed records for named storms is somehow horribly fitting.

Eta Floods Florida After Very Wet ‘Dry Season’

Photo: Satellite imagery of Hurricane Eta. It was upgraded to a major hurricane by the National Hurricane Center on Monday, November 2, 2020. It was expected to dump 35 inches of rain in some isolated areas of Nicaragua after making landfall. NOAA

By the time Hurricane Eta arrived in South Florida, the stage was set for a flooding disaster. Although the fall season generally ushers in dry, hot weather, this year has been an anomaly. Unlike the rest of the United States, Florida has two seasons: the wet season and the dry season — which normally arrives around mid October. In 2020, however, the long wet season has been unusually prolific with rain, and the underground water tables are running very high. This is often considered a good thing, especially since the year 2020 is expected to present a set of La Niña weather conditions, which can sometimes lead to drought conditions. The La Niña expected for this year is projected to be on the stronger side, but because of the ample precipitation throughout the summer, droughts are not expected to plague Florida, in spite of this upcoming strong La Niña.

While all that summer rainfall is a boon to farmers and wildlife, it also means that the ground throughout much of South Florida is fully saturated. However, as the region enters its dry season, the record-shattering 2020 hurricane season is not yet over — as this season generally remains active until the very end of November. The threats posed by the confluence of super-saturated ground and a hyperactive hurricane season was brought home on November 9, when the remnants of Hurricane Eta arrived in the area.

By the time Eta made landfall in Florida it had already lashed through Central America and had weakened into a tropical storm. This meant that the area was spared the destructive gale-force winds that had flattened parts of Nicaragua, but even in the absence of high-velocity winds, Eta still inflicted a lot of damage in Florida. Tropical Storm Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys, a uniquely vulnerable part of the United States. Very low-lying and tenuously attached to the mainland by aging bridges, the Keys are often depicted in post-storm news photos of horrifying damage and fully submerged streets. Sure enough, photos from the Keys once again illustrated the major damage and swamped homes left behind when Eta had moved through the area.

Falling atop the 14” of rain that had already inundated the area during the previous month, another 12” of rain was recorded in a single day across parts of southern Florida. This was a disastrous amount of precipitation, and it could not have come at a worse time. Even though residents and local officials were prepared for the arrival of Eta, there was very little that could be done to prevent or alleviate the flooding. Before the first drop of rain arrived in the area, sand bags had been filled and placed, flood barriers had been installed, levees and other flood mitigation measures had been readied — but there was nevertheless a massive flooding event across the region. The water simply had nowhere to go.

After the rains had moved through, giant vacuum trucks moved through the zone, sucking up all the excess water that had stranded and stalled cars, and filled homes. Some people who had attempted to continue driving through the flooded streets ended up submerged in canals or dangling from rain-slicked bridges. As the soggy ground was presented with even more water, massive banyan trees were dislodged as their root systems became unstable in the loosened earth. Floridians were somewhat lucky that Hurricane Eta had weakened into a tropical storm by the time it made landfall in that state, but very few residents of the Keys felt ‘lucky’ as they slogged through the massive cleanup of their homes and businesses.

Storm Surge 101

Click graphic above to enlarge: Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tides. Storm surge should not be confused with storm tide, which is defined as the water level rise due to the combination of storm surge and the astronomical tide. This rise in water level can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas particularly when storm surge coincides with normal high tide, resulting in storm tides reaching up to 20 feet or more in some cases. Source: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/

We have mentioned the phenomenon of storm surge many times in this blog series, and now storm surge is again in the news with the arrival of hurricane after hurricane during this record-setting year. But what exactly is storm surge, and why is it so dangerous?

The simplest explanation is that storm surge is the sudden rise in sea level that happens during a hurricane, cyclone, or a particularly powerful storm. Although it is often described as a ‘wall of water’ in news accounts, it rarely appears this way in reality. Most often, the sea water will arrive with the winds of the hurricane, pushed forward by the gusts. The speed at which the water level rises can be astonishing, and this is why storm surges are so dangerous. At one moment, a person can be standing on dry land- in a location thought to be well inland from the sea- and at the next moment the person finds themselves waist deep in swirling, debris-filled seawater. This can happen with incredible speed and suddenness!

Many people do not understand this hazard, even those who may have lived near the coastline all their lives. When unprepared people hear that a 6-foot storm surge is expected, they often envision that the usual high tide mark will be extended by six feet. They erroneously picture the normal coastline, but just six feet higher into the beach zone. This can be a deadly mistake, because a 6’ storm surge means something far more dangerous!

To get a more accurate picture of a storm surge, you would need to know that a 6’ storm surge means that water will cover a given area to a DEPTH of 6’. The actual spatial incursion of the storm surge depends on many factors such as topography, obstacles, wind direction, and other variables. In general, meteorologists produce storm surge charts that can indicate how far inland this 6’-deep surge will extend, so that people can evacuate in a timely manner.

Evacuation is the only safe choice in a zone where a large storm surge is predicted. Taking our example of the 6’ storm surge, let’s imagine being confronted by the very sudden arrival of a six foot depth of water. A cubic yard of water weighs over 1,700 pounds, so a 6’ surge introduces twice that much- over 3400 pounds of water pushing its way towards you, your car, or your house. Even a very well built house on a fortified foundation can have trouble withstanding that amount of force. A person on foot has no chance at all to resist, and even a sturdy SUV will soon topple. In fact, most vehicles have trouble withstanding even a 1’ surge of water.

Clearly, the best plan of action is to evacuate as soon as possible when a storm surge is predicted. The surge can arrive well ahead of the hurricane ‘making landfall’, at times arriving a day or more before the actual storm. Waiting to ‘see what happens’ only means that you will lose precious time to make your escape, during a time when many other vehicles will be clogging the escape routes. Many people think that the forceful gales of the hurricane are the thing to be feared, but in fact it is the storm surge that kills that vast majority of storm victims who live near the coastline. For this reason, it is critically important to consult the reports- not only for expected landfall times- but also for the expected storm surge zones. Having important belongings and documents collected and packed, having a ‘go bag’ by the door, securing pets in carriers, bringing food, lots of clean water, clothing, toiletries, and bedding for everyone in the house- these are all tasks that need to be completed well ahead of a hurricane, because the most dangerous part of the hurricane may well arrive a day or two before the hurricane itself.

2020 Hurricane Season Poised to Break Records

PHOTO: A visible NOAA GOES-16 satellite image of Hurricane Isaias as it approached the U.S. East Coast at 7:46 p.m. ET, August 3, 2020. (NOAA)

At the beginning of June, the 2020 hurricane season was already looking busy, with at least nine major ‘named’ storms predicted by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA). As of the middle of August, these nine named storms have already come and gone, and the tenth, Josephine, is forming on the horizon. With a full three and half months left in the season, we have already exceeded the predicted number of storms for the entire season. This is an indication that we may be in for a record-smashing year.

According to records kept by NOAA, most years will suffer an average of 10-12 named storms, of which an average of 6 become hurricanes. Of those 6 hurricanes, 2-3 will become major hurricanes- meaning Category 3 or higher. In preparation for the season, NOAA prepares and publishes the names for that year’s expected storms, so that weather professionals can be prepared and coordinated across the affected regions.

The names for the storms come from a list that is maintained by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and this list is strictly proscribed and inflexible. The names are assigned in order, alphabetically, with male and female names alternating. There are six lists of names, which are used in rotation, and after six years the cycle of names begins again. There are no names assigned to the letters Q,U,X,Y, and Z, so there are 21 names prepared at the start of each hurricane season. Very, very rarely is this list of 21 storm names inadequate to cover a year’s worth of named storms. One such year was 2005.

The year 2005 was a record-breaker in many ways. That year, a full 28 storms were strong enough to be assigned a name from the WMO, among them the infamous Hurricane Katrina. Storms like Katrina cause a rare alteration to the strict list of storm names, because these monster storms are so deadly and costly that using the name again would be painful to its victims, even six years later. In this rare case, the name of the notorious storm is permanently retired.

The other reason that the year 2005 was a record-breaker is that with 28 named storms, it used up all the names available for the year, and then some. In the event of this very infrequent circumstance, there is an ‘overflow list’ of other names derived from the Greek alphabet. When we hear of storms named Alpha or Beta, we know that this is not a normal year!

For this current year of 2020, with a global pandemic causing death and disruption across the planet, there are as many as 24 named storms considered likely. As the hurricane season extends from June 1 through November 30, we are currently only 1/3 of the way through the season, with ten storms already named! This means that we may have Hurricane Gamma on our hands by the end of the season. Any year in which the NOAA has to dip into the ‘Greek names’ is likely to be a bad year for anyone living or owning property in the hurricane zone- and we can only hope that another storm like Katrina will not appear in this already challenging and deadly year.

Page 4

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:42:48 GMT

Flooding Disaster in Michigan

Photo: These natural-color images show flooding across Midland County as observed by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. The pair shows the Tittabawassee River on May 20, 2020 (right), compared to June 3, 2019 (left). NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey.

In late May, the town of Midland, Michigan suffered severe inundation that has been described as a “500-year flooding event”. Although there was no loss of life, the flooding was so extreme and damaging that it dwarfed all other flooding events in living memory. At least 10,000 residents were displaced, and this displacement was complicated by the global pandemic that has swept through the United States. As evacuees arrived at shelters, each person was screened for symptoms of COVID-19, and was then escorted to a spot that was purposely separated from other evacuees by as much space as possible. But as more and more people trickled into the shelters, that spacing became very difficult to maintain. The challenges of coping with any natural disaster is hard enough, but to couple those challenges with an extraordinary public health crisis makes the effort truly Herculean in scope and ramification.

The flooding in Midland has been called ‘a nightmare situation’ that developed after days of heavy rainfall. All this precipitation poured into the lakes at Edenville and Sanford- and the lakes were quickly filled to the brim. Unfortunately, the dam at Edenville had been known as a problem structure for some time; in fact, its license had been revoked by federal inspectors in 2018. The stated reason for the forfeiture of the license was simple: the dam was deemed unlikely to withstand a significant flood. Fast forward two years, and that ‘significant flood’ materialized- at the worst possible moment.

In addition to the hazards posed by the global pandemic, the state of Michigan- as well as much of the rest of the United States- has been embroiled in momentous and widespread civil disturbances and demonstrations. Close to 20% of the US work force is furloughed or otherwise unemployed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. A large number of people who have been unable to make their rent or mortgage payments are hovering on the brink of homelessness. Emergency services, National Guard, local and federal law enforcement, food banks, shelters, and health care services were already overwhelmed even before the rain began to fall. And then, the rain began to fall- relentlessly.

The run-off from the heavy storms filled Lake Wixom, which was held back by the Edenville Dam. This earthen embankment dam was built in 1924 by a former circus owner named Frank Wixom, who was presumably not an expert engineer. To his credit, Wixom’s earthen dam contained the lake for 94 years, even holding up for a couple of years after it was inspected and deemed unlikely to withstand a major flood. Two years after that inspection, however, Frank Wixom’s old dam finally collapsed.

Much had changed in the years since 1924, including a lot of development along the river as well as the construction of a second dam at Sanford, about ten miles downstream. When the Edenville dam collapsed, a powerful wall of water hurtled towards the next dam, and quickly overwhelmed it. Now two consecutive dams had failed! At this point, the combined volumes of the heavy rainfall, the contents of Wixom Lake, and the contents of Sanford Lake all barreled towards the small city of Midland.

Luckily, there had been engineers monitoring the state of the Edenville dam during the storms. Having failed the inspection, the dam was not to be trusted. At the point that it became likely that the Edenville dam would fail, warnings were issued and the residents of Midland were evacuated. Shortly after the final evacuations were complete, Edenville Dam washed away, with Sanford Dam falling soon after. The town of Midland was soon under nine feet of water.

Now, in the places where Lake Wixom and Lake Sanford used to delight boaters and the homeowners who lived on the banks, gigantic, reeking mud flats stretch to the horizon. Erosion is a huge concern to property owners, as these lakeside structures are now in danger of sliding into the muck. Litigations have already commenced, but restitution and insurance money is a long way off. The community is coming together as much as possible to assist those affected by the flooding, but that group includes almost all of Midland. One thing is certain: the amount of money needed to restore Midland and the two destroyed dams- to say nothing of the loss of hydro power the dams had been producing- is far greater than the amount of investment it would have taken to prevent this disaster.

2020 Hurricane Season Prediction: Look Out!

Image: A summary infographic showing hurricane season probability and numbers of named storms predicted from NOAA’s 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook.

The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially begins on June 1st, and all those who were hoping to be spared extra worry, inconvenience, and expense will most likely be disappointed. As if the year 2020 is not bad enough already, the hurricane season is likely to add to our troubles. As early predictions roll in, it appears that this year will be worse than average; with 14-18 named tropical storms deemed likely. Of those, seven to nine are expected to become hurricanes, and of those hurricanes, four to five are likely to become major storms. The chances that a major hurricane will make landfall in the US is deemed to be 69%- well above the threat level that existed at this time last year. In short, an above-average hurricane season is approaching, during a year when a global pandemic is already making life very difficult.

In the event of a major hurricane, the current pandemic situation will make every step that much harder. Evacuation, sheltering with others in close quarters, rescue operations, hospitalization for injuries, obtaining food, water and clothing, and the fact that so many families are already on the brink of financial ruin- all these factors will greatly complicate the response to a major natural disaster. In addition to these issues, it may be that funding from FEMA, or assistance from the National Guard, the military, or the Army Corps of Engineers will be complicated by the fact that these resources are already stretched to the breaking point in response to pandemic issues. No year is a ‘good’ year to suffer through a hurricane, but the year 2020 has sapped resources and funding like no other in the past century.

Because of the current pandemic and other unique challenges that will continue to impact our lives this summer, experts are urging everyone who lives in a potential hurricane zone to work on preparing a plan now, well before the plan is needed. Without preparation, coastal residents are risking disaster more dire than they have ever dreamed possible. Many of the very people who are most susceptible to COVID-19 are also very vulnerable to the hazards presented by a hurricane: nursing home residents, indigent or homeless persons, and immobile, house-bound individuals are all at extreme risk during any type of natural disaster. And even if these individuals can be safely evacuated, they are then likely to be housed in cramped and crowded quarters- an environment that is conducive to the rapid spread the COVID-19 virus.

Even now, before the official start of the hurricane season; emergency funds, non-profit agencies, and local relief efforts are already stretched to the snapping point. Many millions of people have lost their jobs, businesses, and shelter. State and Federal agencies are already unable to cope with the unprecedented level of need: for emergency housing assistance, food stamps, health care needs, child care options, and many other services that have never before been under this type of severe pressure. Adding a major hurricane disaster response to this already precarious social services safety net may collapse the entire system. For this reason, experts are issuing a stark warning as the 2020 hurricane season approaches: Be Prepared!

Aging Dams Post Threat Nationwide

Photo: AUGUSTA, Ga. – Divers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District plunge into the Savannah River to inspect the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam, May 13, 2014. This was the first dive inspection performed on the aging structure since 1999. The divers assessed continuing erosion under the riverside lock wall, which has exposed supporting timber piles making them vulnerable to water damage and decay. USACE photo by Scott Hyatt.

During the 1950’s and 60’s the U.S. enjoyed a period of massive federal investment in the nation’s infrastructure. Bridges, roads, railways, and other transportation and energy-related systems were built or improved, and as a side benefit this investment created tens of thousands of jobs. The large expenditures on infrastructure, although difficult at the time, led to the very prosperous and economically stable decades that followed. In large part, this is because businesses were able to move goods and services via the best transportation system on the planet, and also because so many citizens had well-paying jobs connected to the public projects. The forward-thinking government that made the difficult appropriations necessary to build the infrastructure of this country also built the largest economy in the world.

Fast-forward many decades, and the U.S. economy is still coasting on those long-ago investments and sacrifices. During the 1960’s, which was the heyday of investment in infrastructure, the amount allocated from federal grants for infrastructural projects was close to 6% of the U.S. GDP. Today this investment rate hovers at around 3% of GDP. This means that while the demands upon our transportation and energy grid infrastructure has vastly increased, spending on these systems has been cut in half. Spending on infrastructure, while extremely critical to the nation and to the economy, is just not exciting or rewarding to the careers of the Congresspeople and Senators who must work to appropriate the funds. As Congress has grown ever more divided and partisan, the boring and un-newsworthy infrastructure investment has languished.

This neglect is not only a figurative ticking time bomb for the economy, but is also a literal life-and-death matter for many U.S. citizens who drive across crumbling bridges, transport goods through declining underwater tunnels, and live downstream from aging dams. While all of these issues are critically important, it is the aging dam issue that we will consider today.

Dams have been in use in the U.S. since the very first human inhabitants arrived. Native Americans made use of natural beaver dams to aid with agriculture, and soon began to construct their own. Dams have been used to power mills for thousands of years, and in the late 1800’s the first hydroelectric dams went into service in England and the U.S., very soon after humans learned to harness electricity. There was a rush to build hydroelectric dams, and this new method of energy production seemed limitless and thrilling. Funds were allocated enthusiastically for this novel and hugely useful new technology. Perhaps the culmination of this great dam-building age was the breathtaking feat of engineering called the Hoover Dam.

Today, however, we take all these elderly dams for granted. In the U.S. today, there are countless small dams that have been blocking flowing water for over a century. One hundred (or more) years of water flowing over packed earth, fitted stone, or even the strongest concrete structure can inflict a lot of damage. The great enthusiasm for building the newfangled hydroelectric projects gave way to a much more subdued interest in maintaining the dams. Now, the U.S. faces a looming crisis of decrepit dams that may lack the integrity to withstand the increased pressures that are arising from climate change.

Those responsible for inspecting the nation’s dams have been sounding the alarm for decades, only to be ignored. However, as climate change brings heavier and more frequent storms, community leaders have been forced to pay attention to the floods that occur with ever-increasing frequency. Today it has become so common for dams to be breached during storms that many homeowners are forced to invest heavily in flood mitigation measures such as extensive landscaping, flood barriers, fortified sump pumps, and even elevation of the entire structure. But even this is not the worst of the matter. Many people who live downstream from crumbling dams have much more to fear than flooded basements and blocked roadways. If a dam fails suddenly, all those below the dam are at extreme risk of losing their very lives!

Miami Declares Climate Change Emergency

Image: Miami tidal flooding, October 13, 2016.

The city of Miami-Dade has now joined its close neighbor, Miami Beach, in declaring a climate change state of emergency. In recent years, a dramatic increase in the frequency and duration of ‘sunny day floods’ has meant that flooding can appear suddenly, without warning, and in the absence of storms or king tides. On any given day, it is possible for residents to encounter flooded areas that can cause hazards for transportation, damage buildings and homes, or even completely block motorways. Because of this new and gathering threat, activists have pressured local government to officially declare a state of emergency in order to make funds available to combat the threat.

The city of Miami has set aside a fund of $192 million to fight the effects of climate change, but this amount is not nearly enough to implement the drastic solutions that will be necessary to protect this highly vulnerable city. As dire as the situation may be in Miami, the city of Miami Beach is facing an even greater threat, because Miami Beach is built upon an artificial foundation comprised mostly of sand. Together, the cities of Miami and Miami Beach will need hundreds of millions of dollars in order to survive through the end of this century. For this reason, both municipalities are requesting matching funds from State and Federal coffers in order to supplement the funds that have already been earmarked for this challenge. The future looks uncertain for the entire Florida peninsula unless massive flood mitigation projects can be implemented in a timely manner.

Luckily, new technologies have become available that can greatly help with the fight against climate change. In particular, drones have proven their usefulness in many ways. Drones have been deployed regularly to monitor king tides and to detect the frequent ‘sunny day floods’ that pop up in various parts of the city. Drones can be extremely useful when counting wildlife populations-without disturbing the animals, detecting areas of erosion or tidal incursion along the coastline- without putting human observers at risk, and for surveying remote and inhospitable areas- without expensive manpower and equipment. Underwater drones can collect sediment samples, survey conditions on the sea floor, and record measurements of currents and wave action. This single advancement has made an enormous contribution to the fight against climate-related devastation.

In addition to the use of drones, the city of Miami employs many other defenses in its fight against the sea. One solution is to design and implement urban reservoirs throughout the city. These reservoirs are intended to capture and absorb water during flood, rather than to allow the water to impede into areas of human habitation or into valuable business zones. Another recent development is the use of special one-way anti-tidal valves that prevent sea water from entering urban zones while still allowing fresh floodwater to drain out through the valves.

One hopeful development is political rather than technological. The current mayor of Miami-Dade, Francis Suarez, believes that the threat posed by climate change has evolved into a non-partisan issue that is shared by all, regardless of political affiliation. Mayor Suarez, a Republican, says, “I think why people are unifying on the partisan landscape is we’re focusing on the issues that we see, we see the flooding, we see the wildfires in California, we see the mega hurricanes like Dorian which put the Bahamas under 20 feet of water and killed thousands of people, so we’re dealing with the climatic events that we see, we can’t ignore them,” As studies indicate that every dollar spent on prevention saves at least seven dollars of post-flooding clean-up, it makes sense that people from every political viewpoint should unite in this battle to save Miami from the results of climate change.

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/city-of-miami-declares-climate-change-emergency/2122491/

Page 2

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:03:29 GMT

Moon Wobble Means Flood Trouble

Photo: High tide sunny day flooding in Miami, Florida. (Photo credit: B137, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Many news outlets are reporting on a ‘new’ moon wobble that will result in an increase in coastal flooding in the coming decade. In reality, the lunar wobble is not new at all; it was first discovered in the early 1700’s. Today, scientists understand that the wobble appears on a regular schedule, and it is known to reoccur every 18.6 years. What is new is our planet’s unprecedented and rapid global climate change. This, combined with the regularly occurring moon wobble, will likely result in devastating coastal flooding around the world during the near future.

To gain an understanding of how the moon wobble will affect coastal flooding, we must recall how the moon influences our tides. The moon, in its regular orbit around the Earth, exerts a pull on our planet. This pull is gravitational in nature, and the pull is felt differently in various parts of the globe and on various objects- depending on the latitude and the nature of the object. The ocean, being a non-solid entity, is far more malleable and yielding than firm land. The seas stretch and contract under the push and pull of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon, and this produces our regular and predictable tidal process.

At times, the routine pull of the lunar gravitational force combines with other celestial influences, and a ‘spring tide’ occurs. The spring tide has nothing to do with the season of spring, but instead refers to the ‘springing forth’ of the tides. The spring tide occurs when the earth, the sun, and the moon are all in alignment- this causes a much greater than usual gravitational pull on the oceans. During this time, the regular high tides that occur twice each day will be even higher. If the spring tide is combined with other factors, the tides can become destructively high, especially during our current situation of rising sea level. Stir all these variables together, and we have a recipe for disaster when the moon wobble is added to the mix.

The next moon wobble cycle will occur in the coming decade, during the 2030’s. Scientists are warning that this natural phenomenon, combined with the other factors mentioned above, will almost certainly result in major damage to infrastructure, displacement of entire communities, and significant property damage and destruction. But how can a ‘moon wobble’ result in all these dire consequences? Let’s take a look at the moon wobble and how it will affect our tides.

During the first half of the moon wobble cycle, tides are suppressed, and are generally lower than normal. During this phase, the regular high tides will be lower than normal, and the low tides are higher than normal. However, in the second half of the moon wobble cycle, the reverse occurs: high tides are intensified, and the low tides become even lower. The difference between high tide and low tide becomes much greater. But most importantly, the high tides that will come during the second half of the moon wobble cycle will now coincide with those other factors that have already augmented high tide levels.

Rising sea levels, glacial ice melt, and changes in ocean and air currents will make this next moon wobble a dangerous brew. In recent years, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association has recorded about 600 high tide floods annually. However, during the second half of the moon wobble cycle, they are predicting three to four times that many, during the 2030’s. If ever there was a good time to fortify flood protection measures, this relatively calm and quiet decade is it- the coming decade will be too late.

The Mighty Gulf Stream Slows Down

Image: Graphic visualization map of Gulf Stream seen through sea surface temperature created by NOAA NESDIS.

The mighty Gulf Stream is an invisible force that has a vast impact on the entire planet, but very few people even know what it is! Many might guess that the Gulf Stream is a wind system, but they would be wrong. The Gulf Stream is actually a powerful ocean current; one that has a significant effect on far-flung weather systems, the Atlantic hurricane season, and annual rainfall levels for scores of countries. The influence of the Gulf Stream is felt most acutely throughout the ‘Western Hemisphere’, but the domino effect caused by this massive ocean current can sometimes determine weather patterns on the other side of the planet.

The Gulf Stream, as its name suggests, originates in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a massive column of warm gulf-water that flows in a loose formation about 60 miles wide. After it exits out of the Gulf, it moves northwards up the coast of the eastern United States and into Canada. This is the reason why seawater on East Coast beaches will reach a balmy warm temperature that delights bathers. On these beaches, temperatures of 80+ degrees Fahrenheit are common, whereas the ocean water on the west coast of the US will rarely rise above 70 degrees.

After moving up the eastern coast of the US and Canada, the Gulf Stream then crosses the Atlantic and begins descending along the western coast of the UK and Europe. This influx of warm water is why some beaches of Ireland and England sport palm trees, although these countries are at the same latitude as Newfoundland and northern Canada. After brushing against the European land masses, the Gulf Stream continues south to the great continent of Africa, and it is after leaving this region that problems may develop.

As the Gulf Stream moves south across the western coasts of Europe, the relatively warm water of the ocean current pushes colder water before it. In a recent press release from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), climate scientist Stefan Rahmstorf describes the Gulf Stream as a “giant conveyor belt” that moves warm surface water north while sending cold, deep water back down south. He notes that the Gulf Stream moves 20 million cubic meters of water per second- approximately 100 times the flow of the Amazon River. This cold water is pushed from the African coast into the very important waters that lie between Africa, South America, and the Caribbean region- this is the spawning ground for Atlantic hurricanes.

Recent studies have indicated that the speed at which the Gulf Stream moves is slowing down considerably. This is a topic of concern among meteorologists and climate scientists, as any changes to the Gulf Stream will have significant ramifications to weather systems. The decrease in speed is not yet fully understood, but if it were to become permanent it is possible that the great Gulf Stream could be altered in such a way that major climate repercussions would result.

This year, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is predicting yet another ‘above average’ hurricane season. Last year (2020) was so active that it broke all the records. There were so many named storms in that year that the entire list of pre-assigned storm names was used up, as well as the full list of Greek names that serves as a back-up supply. In 2020, there were 30 named storms, of which a record-breaking 12 made landfall on the US continent.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which is the agency that names the storms, realizes that this is the way of the future. This organization has now prepared a second list of names to be used in the event that all 21 names on the regular list are used up. Greek names will no longer be used, and the second list of names will automatically kick in when the 22nd named storm is formed. This is an indication that more-frequent hurricanes are now considered probable. It’s not seen as likely that 2021 will equal the hyperactive hurricane season of 2020, but neither will it be a quiet year. The first named storm of 2021, Ana, arrived early in the season, which is thought to be an indicator of a heavy storm season. If the all-important Gulf Stream permanently alters its ancient habits in any significant way, the ripple effect is likely to have a major impact on the entire planet, and frequent hurricanes will be at the top of the list.

Flood Panel Helps National Park Service Protect History

The frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events in recent years have exposed many of the country’s treasured historic buildings along the nation’s coasts and rivers to damage caused by floods. This threat has driven urgency for flood mitigation strategies to protect history.

According to the National Park Service, “Some historic properties that have never flooded before may now be exposed to this risk, and those that flooded infrequently in the past may experience more instances of flooding or of water reaching higher levels than ever before.”

The NPS consulted with preservation experts, including Flood Panel, to develop new guidelines to help property owners adapt historic buildings to be more resilient to flood risk. The NPS Guidelines on Flood Adaptation for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings provide examples of projects, and more than 100 photos and illustrations, to help owners choose the best flood mitigation solutions that protect and preserve historic sites from flood damage. Read the NPS news release.

Flood Panel has extensive experience designing and building custom flood proofing solutions for historic buildings across the country. Flood Panel products and photos are featured on pages 50 and 51 of the NPS guide, including a photo from Revolution Mill, on the National Registry of Historic Places in North Carolina. Read the Flood Panel news release.

“Historic buildings pose a unique challenge for flood proofing. The solution must protect the site and preserve the history,” said Tom Osborne, President of Flood Panel. “We are honored to share our experience designing and building custom flood solutions for historic sites that do both.”

Flood Panel’s end-to-end approach to flood mitigation is ideal for historic sites. It includes building evaluation, custom design and manufacturing, plus expert installation, annual inspection and maintenance provided by its National Corporate Partner National Flood Protection.

Flood waters surround Revolution Mill in North Carolina.

Flood Protection for Hospitals

Photo: Rio Grande City, Texas, July 26, 2007 — FEMA Public Assistance Specialists Sheila Luster and and William Ciarelli inspect the Starr County Memorial Hospital with administrator Thalia Munoz to determine if the county will be eligible for federal assistance to offset expenses caused by the recent flooding. Bob McMillan/FEMA Photo

When a community suffers a flooding emergency, there are often injured people who need immediate medical assistance. But what happens if the nearest hospital is also affected by the flood? What if the hospital itself is flooded?

Hospitals present numerous challenges as far as flood protection. Because the patient areas must be kept clean and hygienic, it is very common for electrical equipment to be housed in basement areas, even though the loss of electrical power at a hospital can be deadly for patients who may rely on life-sustaining machines. Most hospitals have emergency back-up power systems, but these are not sufficient to weather lengthy outages. One facility in Houston was left without power for a full two weeks after a hurricane flooded its first and second floors, knocking out the electrical systems. Patients at this facility had to be evacuated, which can be a risky and complicated operation.

Once a medical facility floods, there are many epidemiological issues that would not be present in a non-medical building. For eaxample, after any large intrusion of water, there will be mold issues left behind. In the best case scenario, the water may have been relatively clean freshwater. But in most cases, the water is tainted with sewage or other pollutants. If dirty or polluted water seeps into walls and flooring, it often cannot be adequately cleaned to hospital standards. What ensues is a very costly and time-consuming process of removing the affected materials, cleaning and disinfecting the foundation, and installing new floors and walls. This operation cannot take place while patients are in residence, so there may be a need for patient evacuation during the repairs. The process is pain-staking, extremely expensive, and requires a lot of time.

Given the extreme measures to which a medical facility is subjected after a flooding event, it is no surprise to learn that these facilities go to great lengths to prevent flooding and to protect vital operations. Because hospitals play such a critical role in society, and their full capacity is required during disasters like flooding events, these facilities are given extra protection from floods while still in the blueprint stages. The most common form of protection for hospital buildings are flood barriers or gates that automatically deploy at the first sign of trouble. These flood barriers are best when built into the original design of the building, but can also be retrofitted to an existing building. As we have seen a remarkable geographical expansion in active flood plains across the country, there are many older hospitals that were once flood-safe, but are now at risk.

Fortunately, there are commercial companies that can install permanent or temporary flood protection devices that can reliably defend even huge medical compounds. Depending on the type of items or buildings that must be kept dry, there are several strategies, including:

Permanent waterproof casings for outdoor HVAC units.
Temporary flood panels that can be installed quickly by maintenance staff.
“Puddle guards” that can be installed in doorways to block small amounts of water.
Automatic flood panels that deploy instantly without need for human engagement.
Flood doors that can be securely closed by staff when needed.

All of these types of flood protection devices and systems can be customized to fit any existing building, and they can also be fitted during the planning and construction of new buildings. Because society relies on functioning hospitals in particular during a disaster, it is of utmost importance that medical facilities be protected by the latest technology. We have seen great strides in flood protection during the past decade, and this expertise will increasingly be required as climate change brings ever more frequent natural disasters to our doorstep.

Page 1

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:23:56 GMT

Commercial Flood Solution Protects Bahamian Brewery from Hurricane Flooding

In 2019, Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas as a Category 5 Atlantic storm. It was the strongest ever to strike the island nation. The catastrophic storm brought devastating storm surge, high winds, and heavy rainfall. Loss of life and damages were estimated at over $3 billion (US dollars).

The Bahamian Brewery in Freeport was one of many businesses flooded by Dorian in 2019. That experience prompted the Brewery to seek a commercial flood solution to protect it from future storms.

The Brewery worked with National Flood Protection LLC, the national corporate partner and only authorized dealer for Flood Panel LLC, to design a system of Flood Logs™ and Flood Panels™ for 28 openings with a protection height of 4 feet

The Brewery uses Flood Logs and Panels for flood protection.

Flood Logs and Panels protect 28 openings at the Bahamian Brewery in Freeport, Bahamas.

Hurricane Nicole Threatens the Bahamas

In November 2022 when Hurricane Nicole threatened the Bahamas, the Brewery was ready. The day before the storm was predicted to hit, the Brewery installed the new flood protection system. According to Donny Delahey, general manager for Grand Bahama Operations including the Brewery, “It was a straightforward process due to the ease of how the logs deploy and the training we received during the initial install.”

Fortunately, the Category 1 hurricane was less severe than expected with most of the storm’s impact on the opposite side of the island. Although the Brewery had no flooding this time, management was relieved to have the solution in place just in case.

Delahey added, “We are very happy with the product and the job that National Flood Protection did for us. From getting a structural engineer on board and supplying the flood barriers to installation and training, the entire process was seamless and efficient. I would highly recommend National Flood Protection and Flood Logs and Panels to others.”

Recently, Delahey invited other building owners in the Caribbean to the Brewery to share his experience and showcase the Flood Panel system. He says many are now considering the same commercial flood solution to protect their buildings from future storms.

Using Drones to Fight Floods

The dam failure disaster in Michigan in May of 2020, as horrendous as it was, is also a shining example of a new technology being used to fight floods safely. Without the use of unmanned drones, humans would have had to put themselves at grave risk in the nerve-wracking moments before the levee collapsed. Today, drones are used in many ways to predict floods, show the path of the flood in progress, and to survey the damage after the flood — all without risk to human safety. Drones are without a doubt one of the most important developments in the history of flood control.

Although drones have been around — in a very rudimentary form — since at least 1849, it is only in the past 30 years that improvements in the areas of miniaturization and computerization have enabled drones to become smaller, more agile, and most importantly — more controllable for precise maneuvers. Drones are able to fly over dams and levees that are at risk of collapse, and send back images and other information that can inform officials. In the past, it was necessary to send a human on this risky journey: to physically walk along the top of a shuddering dam to assess the situation or even to open flood gates and remove debris by hand. Many people have lost their lives in heroic efforts to prevent a dam from failing catastrophically, but today we are able to send a drone to complete the inspection and a lot more. In fact, drones can do far more than humans were ever able to do, and much, much faster.

Before drones entered the scene, helicopters were sometimes utilized to fly over suspected infrastructure trouble spots, but the shortcomings of this option are obvious. Helicopters are far more expensive to operate, and they are manned, which always carries a safety risk- especially during inclement weather. Helicopters also lack the tight maneuverability that drones can bring to the table, and since drones are much smaller, they can fly into areas that would be impossible for even the smallest manned helicopter. Drones are also able to fly much closer to the ground, can fly within feet of a threatened dam, and can send back high-definition video in real time.

Today drones are invaluable in the area of dam maintenance and inspection, roof inspection, loose hillside and avalanche inspection, and many other applications. During dam inspection sorties, drones can identify minor issues like hairline cracks and areas of hidden or hard-to-detect leakage before these issues become dangerous. They can fly very close to the face of a massive dam, covering every square foot of the surface, all the while sending back digital information from this vertical and inaccessible structure. Drones can safely inspect dams when snow-covered roads prevent close access with traditional vehicles, and they can do all this without risk to human health and safety. The only caveat regarding drone use is that they are currently prohibited by law from flying outside of the line of sight of the operator. This is an issue that may change soon as the technology becomes more fine tuned.

Drones have proven invaluable as a provider of aerial, ‘bird’s eye view’ information, but there are also specialized underwater drones that can collect and transit data from the submerged base of the dam. This underwater surveillance work, which was until recently conducted by human scuba divers, is critical to the maintenance and safety of the huge and complex hydroelectric dam systems. Underwater drones can approach particular sections of the submerged structure even while other sections remain in operation, an undertaking that would be too dangerous for human divers. With the aid of this rapidly improving technology, engineers can today identify problems with dams and levees before they result in disastrous floods downstream.

Source: FloodBarrierUSA.com

The Rapid City Flash Flood

Image: Aftermath of the flash flood of June 9-10, 1972, Rapid City, South Dakota. Photo: NOAA

Rapid City, South Dakota was a medium-sized city of about 40,000 residents in 1972. The city had been founded a century earlier, after an expedition led by General George Custer had discovered gold in the surrounding Black Hills. A town sprang up in service to the hordes of fortune seekers who toiled for gold in the inhospitable terrain, and it was named after the Rapid Creek, which ran straight through the new town. Rapid City was touted as the ‘Gateway to the Black Hills’ by a group of promoters who were seeking opportunities other than digging for gold themselves. Almost exactly 100 years after the town was founded, the normally inconsequential creek that ran through Rapid City would all but destroy its namesake.

By early June of 1972, the ground in and around Rapid City had become fully saturated by heavy rainfall from the previous few days. Then, a series of conditions — each of which would have amounted to nothing on its own — began to collide. First, a low-altitude flow of moist air was forced up the steep, rocky slopes of the Black Hills, producing a condition called an ‘orographic lift’. An orographic lift happens when air is pushed from a low elevation to a high elevation, rapidly cooling the air as it gains altitude. This sudden cooling of the air creates clouds, quickly raises humidity to 100%, and produces rain. On this day of June 9, 1972, the entire set of variables was complicated by the lack of winds that are normally present at high altitudes over the Black Hills. So now, as this fateful day drew to a close, an orographic lift was setting up thunderstorms that would hover immobile over the area- and all that precipitation was about to fall on soggy, super-saturated soil.

When rain began to fall on the afternoon of June 9, it received little notice. The past few days had been rainy, so this was just a little more rain during an already rainy week. The fact that the rain began during the late afternoon was one more unlucky detail in a very catastrophic series of events. The downpour continued through the afternoon and evening, and into the night. But because night had fallen, people were unaware of just how much water was falling from the sky, and could not see how much runoff had been produced, and how quickly it was filling creeks, reservoirs, and any low-lying gulches. Most of the residents of Rapid City were sound asleep in their beds when disaster struck around midnight.

In a few short hours between the start of the storms at 3:30 and the explosive arrival of the flash flood at midnight, a lot had been happening. The main problem was the sheer volume of the precipitation: up to an incredible 12” of rain had been dumped on the sodden soil in and around Rapid City, an amount that even dry, absorbent soil would not be able to soak up. All that water immediately filled every creek and gully in the area, and began pulsing downstream, pushing before it a massive amount of debris. This debris piled up against any dam, bridge, or embankment that stood in its way, and in the case of the Canyon Lake Dam, created an unstable blockage that caused the lake to rise 11 feet in a few hours. Then it broke.

The massive wall of water that struck the sleeping town caused an unimaginable amount of damage. Trees, vehicles, boulders, bridges, and even sturdy buildings were swept away in minutes. There was no warning, and 238 people lost their lives as their homes were washed away like sand castles on the beach. Over 3000 others were injured, many grievously. The town of Rapid City was scraped clean, and it all happened in minutes. Five hours later, when the dawn revealed the horrors of the night, the creek had already returned to its normal level — this one of the incredible hallmarks of a flash flood. On June 10th, witnesses described scenes of incomprehensible damage. Over 1000 homes had been swept away, and almost 3000 others were damaged. 5000 cars had also been carried off, as well as all but a couple of the many bridges that served the area. The damage in terms of monetary loss was dire — estimated at around $165 million. This, combined with the considerable loss of human lives and livelihoods, means that the Rapid City Flash Flood still stands to this day as one of the worst flash floods in US history.

Catastrophic Floods Strike New York and New Jersey

Image: Long Island Expressway in New York City shut down due to flash flooding from Post-Tropical Storm Ida’s landfall. Photo: Tommy Gao via Wikimedia Commons

August 19, 2021 was the 16th anniversary of the most destructive and deadly hurricane on record for the USA: Hurricane Katrina. On this day, as if to acknowledge the anniversary, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana, coming in as a dangerous CAT-4 storm. In a few days, Ida would go on the record books as the 2nd most destructive storm in US history, after Katrina. The passage into the record books was a strange and circuitous journey.

With massive preparation efforts and evacuation orders arranged before the landfall, officials were hoping against hope that there would not be another disaster like Katrina. But the signs were not looking good, and with wind gusts of up to 172mph, this storm would be a monster in its own right. After striking shore in Louisiana, Ida maintained its CAT-4 status over land for about four hours, and then it weakened to a still-dangerous CAT-3. As the storm unleashed an almost incomprehensible amount of precipitation on the area, the hurricane-force winds tore homes and businesses to splinters. Power lines went down like dominoes, and those who had defied the mandatory evacuation order- as well as all those who had been unable to leave- began to suffer through the sweltering heat without AC, refrigeration, gasoline, medications, and perishable food staples like milk and meat. But still, Ida was not done- not by a long shot!

As FEMA officials in the Deep South began to release a sigh of relief that the initial death toll appeared to be very low, Hurricane Ida veered to the northeast- a heavily populated region for which large hurricanes are a relatively rare event. As the storm moved on, through Mississippi, Alabama, the mid-Atlantic states into Virginia and Maryland, the main concern was tornado activity. This fear was not unfounded, and at least seven tornadoes touched down in Alabama alone. Another tornado in Maryland caused significant damage to the Capitol city of Annapolis. But even now, Ida had not wrought even half of the damage and loss of life that would ultimately be tallied to this storm. It was in the states of New York and New Jersey where the storm would make its deadly mark.

Almost as soon as the storm arrived in New York, Mayor Bill DeBlasio pronounced it, “…an historic weather event”, and for good reason. In just a couple of hours, 6-10” of rain fell in the NYC area, and the consequences were dire. Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens were almost immediately flooded. Rainwater gushed into the subway system and produced nightmarish scenes of underground stations being quickly filled with water. The trains attempted to push through the water to get out of the subterranean death traps that had once been safe, dry tunnels. City buses were seen plowing through water so deep that passengers had to stand on the seats to stay above the water. Central Park was pounded with over 3” of rain in just one hour, breaking a record that had stood since 1913. That same historical record had also been broken two weeks earlier by Tropical Storm Henri, and now that brand-new record from Henri was already obliterated. It was truly a 100-year flood event in New York City!

Both New York and New Jersey declared a state of emergency before the day was out. But why was Hurricane Ida causing even more destruction in this northern area, more than a thousand miles from where the storm made landfall? The answer is this: bad luck. By the time Ida reached the New York/New Jersey region, the hurricane-force winds had long since lost strength. But the core of the storm was still packed with rain, and then it unfortunately merged with another localized storm front. When this happens, massive amounts of precipitation is often the result, and we saw this in New York and New Jersey. The damage in the New York City alone will top $50 million. But more importantly, 18 people lost their lives, and many of those unfortunates lived in basement apartments that lacked any type of flood barriers.

Ten years ago, Hurricane Sandy laid waste to the New York area, and the aftermath of that storm led to calls for better planning and improvements in flood defenses. Many new mitigation efforts have since been put into place, but Hurricane Ida has exposed the wide gap between what has been done and what still needs to be done. This month, during Hurricane Ida, New York City faced its first-ever Flash Flood Emergency. It will surely not be the last.