Bob Gibson
From the floods devastating communities in the mountain valleys of southwestern Virginia to the flooding of rain-related streets in Hampton Roads and Alexandria, Virginia is slowly and quietly losing its battle under the effects of increasing flooding. .
In some parts of the state, failure to protect environmentally sensitive areas such as floodplains from large development projects has allowed developers to prioritize profits over protection of rivers, leading to surrender. holding a flag
One great example of this is the large-scale development planned for the floodplain of the Livanna River between Charlottesville and Albemarle counties. Developer Wendell Wood cut down an acre of trees, built 15- to 18-foot walls, a large parking lot and he built three of his four-story buildings with 245 apartments. are planning to
Wood’s legitimate development can pollute Livanna every time it rains heavily. A 320-vehicle parking lot is planned by the walls of Mead Creek, not far from the river.
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Justin Simp, the developer’s chief engineer, said the floodplain hasn’t flooded in 100 years since Hurricane Camille blew the area away in 1969, killing at least 150 people in nearby Nelson County. However, longtime residents along the Livanna River say it is full of water. Flood plains are increasing in recent years.
Residents say the Livanna floodplain fills up after particularly heavy rains every few years, pointing to parts of the Livanna River Trail being washed away and rebuilt.
Bev Catlin, who has lived on Riverside Avenue since 1979, has experienced six floods since. Hurricane Fran in September 1996 brought him 16 inches of rain in Shenandoah National Park, 1 foot in his basement and 2 feet in the house across the street.
Alexandria has experienced a great deal of flooding, with sudden storms two months ago inundating roads and homes, newspapers mapping about 20% of the city as floodplains, low-lying streams, and sudden flooding. thunderstorms, and proximity to the tidal Potomac River.
Floodplain building is becoming increasingly controversial as global warming increases the number and intensity of flood storms. A few weeks before her August 10 flood in Alexandria, St. Louis, eastern Kentucky, and Death Valley were each hit by a once-in-a-thousand-year storm.
A 100-year floodplain is an area that has a 1% chance of flooding in one year. To put it another way, there is a 26% chance that a flood will occur over the life of a 30-year mortgage. Minor floods are likely to occur at any time of year and can pose a significant flood hazard to people and property.
Increased flooding will create new risks and exacerbate existing vulnerabilities for communities across Virginia, according to the latest National Climate Assessment, which tracks the trend toward more severe storms. Communities in southwestern Virginia have suffered substantial losses even outside the floodplains.
Charlottesville’s Livanna River has suffered severe flooding for centuries. This included the time when the site of the proposed apartment complex was the site of a circus that regularly hosted elephants, lions and tigers. According to an article in the Daily Progress, in October 1959 dozens of carnies were left homeless when a sudden storm swept trailers from the old circus grounds to Livannah.
Former Charlottesville Mayor Kay Slaughter has come up with a great solution. For the past 20 years, she has been calling on the Charlottesville City Council to make due compensation to all owners of land bordering the river and turn them into parks.
Slaughter was one of the early proponents of the paved Livanna River Trail. Thousands of locals walk, run, and bike along the river with their children and dogs on this trail. The trail is within 140 feet of Wood’s proposed wall and building.
The proposed development now sits in court for some time as it is challenged by city residents who say the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently moved flood lines so that FEMA will take effect in March 2022. may be brought into Protection of rivers and nearby property.
According to their legal challenge, the city allows developers to build on flood plains but not flood roads. How did Engineer Simp move the spillway line to her FEMA?
Shimp, they argue, was not acting as an independent technical expert at the time of filing with FEMA. In the filing, the resident alleges that the revisions he was proposing had substantial, undisclosed financial benefits.
Shimp said his independence as an engineer has never been seriously challenged and is now being nurtured by people who don’t understand the FEMA floodway line process. He said he expects approval for the project.
Freebridge Floodplain Advocacy Group Opposes Proposed Development Concerned About Traffic Safety, Stormwater Drainage, Environmental Impact, Flood Impact, and Completeness of Recent Revision of FEMA Floodplain Map Organized. Project depends.
Citizens have seen calls for river zoning reform go unanswered in Charlottesville for decades. With an estimated 1,334 vehicle trips per day, it’s time to make river protection a top priority.
Bob Gibson is a member of the Virginia Citizens Board of Education.
