Very interesting article. It does not matter what people do to allow for drainage when there is a very heavy rain that rain can not run off fast enough. Yesterday Manhattan, Kansas had one of those rains. Some areas of that city received 5 inches of rain in an hour. The college was spared but other parts of that small town were not. I have not seen any reports this morning but the storms are still training over that area.

Well...flood plain maps are rigorously maintained by every local jurisdiction. And lenders for home mortagages are very aware of these and mandate flood insurance for any loan in or adjacent to a flood plane.

I can't think of a more important, fundamental analysis than this when looking at property for potential purchase and development.

Growing up in the province (state) that is basically one giant floodplain, I can't help but agree!

From the CBC article linked above: "a century later, those bygone brooks are still responsible for fracturing the foundations of homes or buildings and collapsing roads
into sinkholes, continuing like ghosts of the past to provoke the city that tried to choke them out."

Even if a lot is not in a flood plain, the purchaser/builder should ask about subsurface water flows that are not obvious, but are well known.

Meeting a trade at a house under renovation on Rushholme Rd., Toronto, I noticed a black line five feet up around the entire basement wall. When a crew was digging to create more headroom for a basement suite, they hit water, which filled the basement to that level before they could get pumps going. Now, two pumps run 24/7 to keep the Havelock stream of Garrison Creek at bay.

About 15 years ago we visited the area Lake Agassiz had retreated to. We were told that it was again enlarging. While it did not seem to be more than a futile effort there was a steady stream of large trucks carrying soil or rocks that were being used to build a containment. In any city area there are many underground streams and or springs that at one time provided water to the population. Some of which are apparently like the one running under where my father worked quite large.

Of course that begs the question of: how often are maps updated?

In my area, the Katy Prairie, which is a haven for (mostly) birds due to being a fly-way for migration, the surrounding areas which formerly were cattle pastures, Bermuda grass/weeds cultivated for baling hay, or rice fields are now being developed as subdivisions.

That, of course, can drastically change how water is absorbed/diverted as well proven in last year's heavy rainfall from Harvey (which actually went inland about 200 miles away). Folks that NEVER had flooded did so - including downtown Katy.

Most of those places had never seen 40 inches of rain either...

here's hoping Florence doesn't impact you personally, NC.

Thank you! That is a nice gesture.

I live in Charlotte, which is about 4 hours inland, so I should be fine. Right now, the prediction is 5-10 inches of rain and 40mph winds.

My sister, who lives here also, on the other hand, is freaking out. She has spent the last year planing an outdoor wedding for her son for this Saturday! She is scrambling trying to figure out what her Plan B is. No insurance for that scenario!

Thanks again for the well wishes.

ncrealestateguy, I hope you faired well so far. I understand that Charlotte is expecting 15 inches of rain. That's huge. Was your sister able to find an alternate place for her son's wedding?

Started raining and blowing yesterday evening, and gonna rain all day today and all night.

We had a good time at the wedding... My sister had only since Thursday to totally find a new venue and all of the logistics that go along with it! I would have hated being in her shoes.