Days after Flash floods some streets of DC and Montgomery County changed into small rivers and hiking trails into ponds, leaders appoint their plans to alleviate the problems.
Rain -rained rain packed a heavy punch for many throughout the region, with cars that are stuck in water and first responds save drivers who are entangled in flooded roads.
“In the past 60 days we have seen most flood watches published for a period of two months in the history of the program,” said Marc Elrich, director of Montgomery County. “These records go 20 years ago, over the same period, we have received up to 15 centimeters of rain, which is five to seven centimeters above normal.”
Elrich emphasized the importance of drawing up a plan.
“There is a direct correlation between our impact on this planet and the overall increase in extreme weather,” he said. “We have seen it locally and all over the world here, we have seen it with more intense rainstorms that lead to the increased risk of flooding.”
Part of the action plan includes the preparation of measures for flood safety.
The province has strategically located in 35 flood-sensitive areas on solar energy-driven flood sensors to follow the rising water level in real time.
The province has implemented its first Mesonet weather station to collect data about wind, temperature, humidity and precipitation.
Leaders also work to offer residents the opportunity to look in the federally designated flood zones in the province.
“We have to adjust our infrastructure, our systems and our own thinking and actions, so that we are better prepared for floods,” said Sarah Koger Smucker, the climate change officer of Montgomery County.
She said there is a connection between climate change and floods.
“Because there are more greenhouse gas emissions, catching pollution of climate change in the atmosphere, the planet is warming up and that global warming causes evaporation of water and that means there is more moisture in the air,” she said. ‘[…] And that means that when there is a storm event, more water needs to be swept, and so we see floods and more extreme floods more often, especially that really intense precipitation. “
Koger Smucker said that the province has already created and is working on implementing an action plan for climate change.
Here are a few focus:
Repair and improvement of rainwater transport systems
Adding additional means of flooding
Update floodplain cards
Set an investigation to investigate the risks of flooding of provincial buildings and to find solutions
County leaders said these steps are some ways to be better equipped and prepared for future storm events.
“There are 86 actions in the plan,” said Koger Smucker. “And many of them are about how we can stop our pollution of climate change and participate and be a local leader to stop contributing to the pollution that causes climate change.”
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