hurricane helene brought heavy rainfall and severe flooding to north carolina. (carl atwood\/cc by 2.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nthe role of flood maps in preparation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n flood maps are tools that help communities identify areas most at risk for flooding. these maps indicate different flood zones, such as high-risk areas that may require flood insurance, and include data such as base flood elevations (bfe) to predict potential water levels during major floods. however, despite their importance, many north carolinians \u2013 especially in rural underserved areas \u2013 struggle to access or fully understand these tools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
one woman i spoke with, olivia green from kings mountain, shared her experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201ci didn\u2019t think we were at risk. our area never flooded before, so i never thought to look for flood maps or check any resources,\u201d green said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
even in flood-prone states like north carolina, many people assume that if they haven\u2019t experienced flooding in the past, they are not at risk. but as storms grow in intensity, even areas once considered safe can become vulnerable to severe floods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
the uncertainty around floods is something that stuart pimm ph. d., a professor of conservation at duke university commented on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cthere are runs of good years and bad years. extremes [in weather events] are often worse than expected [..]. the chance of bad floods next year is higher because this year has been bad,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
pimm suggested that communities must be ready for unpredictable and worsening flooding events in the years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
as climate risks rise, this disconnect between flood mapping resources and the communities they aim to protect is both individual and systemic. the challenge of flood preparedness raises larger questions: are the outreach efforts and tools aimed at informing people about flood risks reaching those who need them most? do people have access to flood maps? can information on maps be interpreted? <\/p>\n\n\n
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many in goldsboro, north carolina faced severe flooding last month, after uncertainty relating to the state’s flood mapping. (anonymous community member from goldsboro, north carolina)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nflooding in north carolina: where do we go from here?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n hurricane helene has made evident that flood preparedness in north carolina must improve \u2013 and that simply having flood maps available isn\u2019t enough. to protect communities, these tools must be accessible, accurate, and better understood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
ultimately, the responsibility of knowing one\u2019s flood risk falls on multiple parties. federal agencies must provide the tools and ensure they\u2019re accessible, but local governments also need to step up and ensure that these tools are being disseminated effectively. meanwhile, citizens must be proactive in seeking out information and taking steps to protect their homes and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
in the wake of helene’s horrific destruction, north carolina faces a moment of reflection. whether it\u2019s clearer mapping tools, better education, or stronger collaboration between agencies and residents, the state has an opportunity to re-evaluate how its communities prepare for extreme weather. the time to act is before the next flood arrives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
public resources such as fema\u2019s flood map service center <\/a>, national flood hazard layer<\/a>, and floodsmart.gov<\/a> are places to start in understanding flood maps and personal property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
with the recent impacts of hurricane helene and the oncoming milton, flood maps have become an essential tool to help north carolinians face severe flooding and prepare for disasters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30727,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4916,4911],"tags":[],"storyfest_categories":[],"class_list":["post-42392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-climate","category-natural-disasters"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
flood maps: preparing north carolina for a climate-driven future - planet forward<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n