Evaluating the 100-Year Flood Standard: Is It Appropriate?
A flood is a severe natural disaster that can substantially affect a person’s life and economic stability. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) aims to support citizens who experience this problem (Bohn & Friedland, 2013). To calculate the risks of a disastrous phenomenon, the organization uses the 100-year flood standard, which was proven inappropriate.
As Bohn and Friedland (2013) suggest and the example provided by Ingraham (2017) illustrates, the occurrence rate was based on unreliable data, which does not represent the actual chances. Moreover, the latest research on global climate change shows that the method should be reevaluated for each area (Ingraham, 2017). Therefore, the 100-year flood rate is outdated and unreliable and must be adjusted according to selected territories and global warming trends.
Personal Flood Risk: Potential Losses and Protective Measures
A flood can severely damage the property and create a need for repairs and reconstruction works. I would personally temporarily lose a place of living if a flood occurred. As the article by Condon and Sweet (2017) notices, the least severe problems may be flooded basements and soaked furniture, which force homeowners to spend money on new décor or professional drainage.
Conversely, some citizens may be motivated to leave the communities if they cannot afford to eradicate mold and fix the wall damage. I can get insurance to protect myself, which will help me recover financially if this happens. Thus, participating in the NFIP is crucial to prevent harmful events from significantly affecting one’s life.
Determining Elevation for Personal or Commercial Buildings
As a construction manager, I would suggest building a house regarding the area’s base flood elevation (BFE) as a minimum. Bohn and Friedland (2013) mention this term as a basis for developing structures of different purposes. If the project requires building a standard residential establishment, the American Society of Civil Engineers (2014) code dictates using BFE + 1 ft as the minimum elevation.
Other publicly essential structures, like hospitals, emergency shelters, and control towers, feature an additional foot of elevation, making them more resistant to floods. The recommendations also depend on the location of the future building and its proximity to the closest body of water. In conclusion, the design of flood elevation requires the knowledge of the structure’s purpose and the exact place where the establishment will be built.
If I wanted to build a home for myself, I would inspect the location of the future structure. If the area has a history of floods and features a body of water that increases the risk of future disaster, I would increase the BFE by 1 or 2 feet (American Society of Civil Engineers, 2014). The materials I would use during construction would also affect this choice, as flood-damage-resistant mediums allow for less strict standards. At the same time, as an article by Kusistoand Campo-Flores (2017) notices, utilizing more stringent codes might be a sustainable solution. Thus, to guarantee the future safety of my home, I will choose BFE + 2 ft as the minimum for a flood-resistant building.
Driving Change for Flood Resilience: Roles and Responsibilities
Revising the building codes and increasing public awareness is necessary to change the current situation. The biggest driver of change should be the concerned society, which is interested in the sustainability and durability of construction. This should motivate engineers to implement stricter codes and the government to address the flood insurance crisis mentioned by Condon and Sweet (2017).
Moreover, the state representatives should promote participation in the NFIP as this is the only solution for those who face damaging natural disasters. The insurance program should also recalculate the risk chances using more recent data and specific area information to increase self-sufficiency. Therefore, reevaluating current practices is crucial to guarantee the resilience of new buildings.
References
American Society of Civil Engineers. (2014). Flood Resistant Design and Construction. Author.
Bohn, F., & Friedland, C. (2013). Why the 100-year Flood?Louisiana Civil Engineer, 21(3), 16–18.
Condon, B., & Sweet, K. (2017). About 80% of Hurricane Harvey victims do not have flood insurance, face big bills. USA Today. Web.
Ingraham, C. (2017). Houston is experiencing its third ‘500-year’ flood in 3 years. How is that possible?The Washington Post. Web.
Kusisto, L., & Campo-Flores, A. (2017). Homes built to stricter standards fared better in storm. Wall Street Journal. Web.
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