The City of Richmond in partnership with state and federal agencies will unveil a High Water Mark Initiative at Pony Pasture Rapids Park, 7200 Riverside Drive, Richmond, VA on Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 1 0 a.m. – 11 a.m. Beginning with Pony Pasture, signage identifying high water marks from areas inundated by storms in the past will also be placed at locations near Brown’s Island and Great Shiplock Park.
The goal of the initiative is to draw attention to Richmond’s flood risk by showcasing how high the water has risen in these areas, and encourage citizens to take steps to reduce their risk.
DPU Director Bob Steidel says, “My hope with these signs that identify the High Water Marks is that our citizens will spend a moment considering how a major flood could impact them, and then take at least one new step to protect themselves or their homes. Whether it is making a plan, building to higher standards, or putting valuable information in waterproof containers, we want to make them aware that there are low-cost and no-cost ways to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our property from floods.”
According to FEMA statistics, floods are the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States. Over the life of a typical 30-year mortgage, homes and businesses in high-risk areas have a 26 percent or greater chance of flooding, 2 ½ times greater than the chance of a fire.
In June 1972, Richmond fell victim to unprecedented flooding caused by heavy rainfall from Hurricane Agnes that resulted in setting a new flood record within the city. “This new initiative,” Steidel explains, “will remind people of the community’s history, the potential for flooding and the simple steps residents can take to protect themselves should it happen again.”
Learn more about this initiative and use the “Cost of Flooding” tool at https://www.Floodsmartov to see how much damage flooding can do to your home, inch by inch.
The High Water Mark Initiative was developed in partnership with Venture Richmond and the Virginia Silver Jackets and includes the Virginia Department of Conservation and recreation, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Federal Emergency Management Agency High Water Mark Initiative and Region III, National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Wakefield, U.S. Geological Survey Water Science Center and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District to promote flood awareness within the city.
Learn more about this initiative and use the “Cost of Flooding” tool at https://www.FloodSmart.gov to see how much damage flooding can do to your home, inch by inch.
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