FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 3, 2008
AT LEAST 600 CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG DWELLINGS DAMAGED BY FAY'S FLOODING
Charlotte, North Carolina – On-site inspections after the flooding of August 26 and 27, 2008 show at least 600 single-family homes, apartment units, and businesses in Charlotte-Mecklenburg's floodplains were damaged. Preliminary figures show:
• at least 400 structures had floodwater in the living area with depths up to 58-inches
• at least 200 structures had floodwater in crawlspaces or basements.
This total only includes buildings in regulated floodplains. It is not known yet how many structures outside of identified floodplains sustained flood damage. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services continues to receive reports of structural flooding and inspect the damage. No official dollar estimate has yet been placed on the flood damage to structures, contents of homes and businesses, or to vehicles.
More than 90% of the damaged homes and apartments are in the Briar Creek Watershed. Damaged structures have also been inspected in the McMullen, Reedy, McAlpine, Little Sugar, McDowell and Long Creek Watersheds. Storm Water crews are continuing to remove trees and other debris blocking the flow of water in numerous creeks around Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
A newly-created rainfall map shows the county's rainfall totals for Tropical Storm Fay. The map shows that in a 36-hour period, rainfall ranged from about 4" near the Union County line to more than 11" in the Mallard Creek/University City area. While the Briar Creek Watershed did not receive the most rain, it did receive some of the most intense rainfall. An official rain gauge at the Charlotte Fire Station at Eastway Drive and Shamrock received more than 2.2" in a one-hour period ending at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, August 27th. That area is at the headwaters of Briar Creek. An official stream gauge on Briar Creek just upstream from the Cavalier Apartments shows the stream was seven feet over its banks at 7:30 a.m. on August 27th.
More than 160 structures that repeatedly flooded in the past are not in the latest damage totals. Those buildings have been purchased by Mecklenburg County and torn down through the Floodplain Buyout Program. Storm Water Services officials estimate that most of those structures would have flooded last week if they were still standing. Begun in 2000, the on-going floodplain acquisition program returns floodprone land to open space.
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For additional information contact:
Sharon Foote, Public Information Specialist
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services
704-336-3735
980-721-8259 cell
