Mitigation Best Practices

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL - Hurricane Irene (1999) slammed into Miami-Dade County, causing heavy flooding, even in areas that had not been prone to inundation in the past. This was repeated a year later by Tropical Storm Leslie. Local emergency management officials decided that mitigation was necessary to minimize or eliminate the threat of repeated lowland and street flooding.

MILWAUKEE, WI - As basements dried and Milwaukee residents discarded water-soaked belongings, it was evident that flood-proofing needed to be done in regards to these saturated homes and basements.

"Even a rain of two inches over several hours can produce conditions for flooding in Milwaukee County," said Carl Stenbol, Assistant Director for Milwaukee County Division of Emergency Management.

FALMOUTH, KY – “There is no Falmouth,” lamented Kentucky State Police Trooper Jan Wuchner, following a visit via helicopter to the flood-ravaged town on March 2, 1997. The small town situated at the confluence of the Licking River and its South Fork in Pendleton County had been inundated with floodwaters the previous day. “We lost it all,” said Mike Fields, who lost two properties to the flood, including his grandmother’s house.

GRAND FORKS, ND - In April 1997 the Red River overflowed its banks, flooding 8,600 homes in Grand Forks, North Dakota. While the floodwaters rose, a fire broke out in the downtown business district. Between the flood and the fire, all 315 businesses were affected. The successful rebuilding of the city resulted from partnerships among residents, local businesses and local, state and federal governments. The city also established a commitment to reducing future losses through mitigation projects.

KIRKLAND, IL - Les Bellah, former Mayor of Kirkland, Illinois, knows the power of water. According to Bellah, in July 1996, a storm dumped eighteen inches of rain on his town in less than twelve hours. The Kishwaukee River jumped its banks and flooded the Congress Lake Estates Trailer Park. Water came up to the windows of many trailers and left a twofoot-high watermark on Kirkland’s Village Office.

“You don’t realize the power of water until you see it first-hand,” said Bellah. “It’s a hopeless feeling, you just sit and watch and go ‘wow’.”

DRAYTON, ND - North Dakota's historic 1997 Red River Valley flood nearly spelled doom for one small-town medical clinic.

Inside the building, flood waters rose to six inches. A thick layer of mud covered the floor and mold had begun to grow. Despite efforts to clean and disinfect the building, the medical staff thought the health risk for patients was too high to treat them inside the building. Instead, the staff treated patients in their cars.

TILLAMOOK COUNTY, OR ‒ The Port of Tillamook Bay (POTB) sustained damage to its facilities including a railroad line. The POTB Commissioners determined that the public would not be best served by repairing the damaged railroad and requested funding to develop several alternate projects. One of the alternate projects developed, the Southern Flow Corridor, addresses significant flood losses in Tillamook County. The alternate project is designed to reduce damage from repetitive floods, as well as restore significant floodplain and estuarine habitat within the Tillamook Bay watershed.

EAST HAVEN, CT - The town of East Haven experienced flooding caused by the Farm River every winter, while summers meant flooding due to coastal storms. No matter what the season, East Haven’s firefighters were constantly evacuating and rescuing residents.

East Haven is located on Long Island Sound in New Haven County. It is a suburban community with a population of approximately 28,000. East Haven’s Cosey Beach is exposed to coastal flooding from hurricanes, nor’easters, and other severe storms. Inland riverine flooding originates from the Farm River.

LOUISVILLE, KY - With the largest population in the state of Kentucky, the City of Louisville is the economic engine for Jefferson County. Located along the Ohio River, the city has a long history of flooding. After severe flooding in 1997, the Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) initiated partnerships among private businesses, residents, and local, state, and federal governments to develop a business plan for identifying mapping needs and priorities with the goal of flood prevention.