If You Build It, It Will Flood

[The River]

If you build something in a Flood Plain, it will eventually get flooded. It may be from a 100 year storm, a 500 year storm or just a freak weather event like Huston is experiencing. Even in mountainous areas creeks can turn into rivers. Hurricane Camille in 1969 took out Nelson Co VA.
I worked in land development and civil engineering. Flood zones were always taken into account when we looked at property. Building codes prohibit building in flood zones yet we have major cities all across the US that are built in flood zones and along Fall Lines. With rising seas and climate change they will eventually be abandoned.

Are You in a Flood Zone? Search by address.
https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search#searchresultsanchor

[question everything]

1. The irony is that when one talks about "100 year flood" it signals to city planners

and others that they do not need to worry about it. Not during their tenure, anyway.

And, of course, the "fake climate change" makes all these "once in 100 years" once in... 10 years, and getting closer.

[Retrograde]

6. A lot of people don't understand probablities

a "hundred year flood" means there's a 1% chance of it happening in a given year. Wikipedia has a good discussion that I won't try to recap - because I don't understand probability all that well either

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. I'm not sure that flood zone map is entirely accurate.

I checked a couple of address where I live now and in the past, and both are indicated as being within a flood zone, if I'm reading the map correctly. But neither place has ever flooded, most specifically the old one even when there have been truly torrential rains. And it seems to show addresses outside the flood area, which I know for certain have flooded.

I'm probably not reading it correctly.

[The River]

3. There are several zone types

From sure to flood to less risky and no risk zones. Most areas never see flooding but it can happen during major prolonged rain/melt events. The maps are always being revised as more development and runoff happens.

[jbond56]

4. Be interesting to see all the flood zones if they simulated an entire years rain in a few days.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. Yes, there are flood zones and then there are flood zones.

That map was less than helpful because it simply drew squares around certain blocks. The only useful maps will follow the contours of the ground.

I have a slight tendency to pay attention to such things whenever I buy a home. As appealing as it would be to live on a shore (lake or ocean) I'd be VERY aware of the flood danger.

[BigmanPigman]

5. really you watching Field of Dreams too?

It is better than watching Grandpa Munster (Cruz).

[dlk]

7. Houston Was Built on a Swamp