Compound Flooding: A Phenomenon
Flooding has always been one of the most common natural disasters in the United States. However, the flood risk for coastal cities has significantly increased over the past century. Roughly 40% of the U.S. population lives in the country's coastal areas. According to a new study published in Nature Climate Change, these coastal cities are facing an increased risk of severe flooding due to a phenomenon known as compound flooding.
Compound flooding occurs when storm surge and heavy rainfall occur at the same time. This phenomenon exacerbates the level of flooding that normally would have occurred if just one of these events had happened alone. These flooding events usually happen in one of two ways:
Through the study, it was found that this phenomenon occurs more often along the East Coast compared to the West; this is largely due to the tropical cyclones and hurricanes that occur in the East. This means that the chance of New York City experiencing one of these major flooding events has actually doubled compared to 60 years ago. Researchers note that while the new research looks at storm surge and precipitation, long-term sea level rise remains the biggest driver of increased flood risk. It is still unknown however, if climate change contributes to the compound flooding phenomenon or not.
When it comes to minimizing future flood disaster costs, adaptation and resiliency measures, such as building flood-prone infrastructure higher, are important planning considerations. Pre-disaster mitigation efforts are proven to reduce the associated costs of post-disaster recovery. The avoided losses, ones that would have occurred if mitigation had never been implemented, outweigh the costs of the flood mitigation. Successful mitigation may include elevating structures above the base flood level or installing vents in the foundation that allow flood waters to pass through.
Many of these flood mitigation strategies take time to implement, but having Big Bags USA® flood barriers on hand can protect you now. Flooding can occur at anytime and it is important to always be prepared. Our innovative flood protection products can handle the highest demands at a fraction of the costs normally associated with rapid deployed systems. Contact us today at 800-337-0537 for more information.
Sources:
http://www.theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/2261390/us-coastal-cities-face-increased-risk-flooding
http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/27/9046891/flood-risk-coastal-cities-us-has-risen
http://time.com/3973256/flooding-risk-coastal-cities/
What is Compound Flooding?
Compound flooding occurs when storm surge and heavy rainfall occur at the same time. This phenomenon exacerbates the level of flooding that normally would have occurred if just one of these events had happened alone. These flooding events usually happen in one of two ways:
- Heavy rainfall on land can severely add to the depth and size of storm surge that forces its way up and over the shoreline.
- Storm surge can elevate sea water to a level where the gravity-driven flow of stormwater systems is greatly slowed down or blocked, and therefore it backs up onto the streets and into people's basements.
East Coast vs. West Coast
Through the study, it was found that this phenomenon occurs more often along the East Coast compared to the West; this is largely due to the tropical cyclones and hurricanes that occur in the East. This means that the chance of New York City experiencing one of these major flooding events has actually doubled compared to 60 years ago. Researchers note that while the new research looks at storm surge and precipitation, long-term sea level rise remains the biggest driver of increased flood risk. It is still unknown however, if climate change contributes to the compound flooding phenomenon or not.
Flood Mitigation
When it comes to minimizing future flood disaster costs, adaptation and resiliency measures, such as building flood-prone infrastructure higher, are important planning considerations. Pre-disaster mitigation efforts are proven to reduce the associated costs of post-disaster recovery. The avoided losses, ones that would have occurred if mitigation had never been implemented, outweigh the costs of the flood mitigation. Successful mitigation may include elevating structures above the base flood level or installing vents in the foundation that allow flood waters to pass through. 
Many of these flood mitigation strategies take time to implement, but having Big Bags USA® flood barriers on hand can protect you now. Flooding can occur at anytime and it is important to always be prepared. Our innovative flood protection products can handle the highest demands at a fraction of the costs normally associated with rapid deployed systems. Contact us today at 800-337-0537 for more information.
Sources:
http://www.theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/2261390/us-coastal-cities-face-increased-risk-flooding
http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/27/9046891/flood-risk-coastal-cities-us-has-risen
http://time.com/3973256/flooding-risk-coastal-cities/
If you have an immediate need for our systems, or have any questions for us, please Call us Toll Free at 1-800-337-0537 or visit www.BigBagsUSA.com.
If you have an immediate need for our systems, or have any questions for us, please Call us Toll Free at 1-800-337-0537 or visit www.BigBagsUSA.com.
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