Montgomery County will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m., to discuss its Comprehensive Flood Management Plan after crowdsourcing from residents to identify flood-prone areas in the community.
“We know that climate change impacts Montgomery County in two major ways: heat and flooding,” said County Executive Marc Elrich in the press release.
“That is why we are mapping heat islands in the County to identify potential areas where we can take action to protect vulnerable neighborhoods. That is also why we will use the flood management plan to identify flood-prone areas and potential strategies to minimize flooding in the future.”
Representatives from the county’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will discuss the Comprehensive Flood Management Plan at the virtual community meeting.
As part of the county’s effort to mitigate flood damage, officials unveiled a new website to provide information about frequently flooded roads, steps residents can take to prepare for flooding events and flood insurance options for damaged properties, according to a county press release.
Additionally, the website includes a brief survey for residents to provide feedback on their flooding experiences and help locate areas prone to flooding. The county recently established the new resource as part of their commitment to educate and inform the public about flooding issues that affect residents and businesses.
Flooding is the most frequent severe weather event and the costliest natural disaster in the county, as only a single inch of floodwater can cause up to $25,000 in damage, officials reported in the press release.
Floods not only affect high-risk coastal areas, but 25% of flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas like Montgomery County, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The county’s flood management plan aims to better understand the causes and impacts of flooding as well as strategize ways to minimize or eliminate the risks of flooding, according to the press release.
Register for the virtual community meeting on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. here: Comprehensive Flood Management Plan Virtual Community Forum
Visit the new county flooding information website here: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/flooding/
