Marching Into Spring

Spring has sprung, and April showers bring May flowers––but those in the storm water and erosion control industry know that April showers can also bring flooding in some parts of the country. Portland, Ore., has implemented several programs that will reduce its risk of floods, including a plan to target areas in danger of frequent flooding and convey floodwaters away from those areas, and a program to implement storm water management techniques like retrofitting culverts and planting trees for erosion control. Down in the Rio Grande area, some levees––which were paid for using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds––are now certified as meeting 100-year flood standards set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Tacoma, Wash., needs more than $316 million to update its levees and flood control structures over the next 20 years, according to a flood management report. These structures, many of which were built in the 1960s or earlier, require a serious overhauling to meet modern flood protection standards. Unfortunately, as is the case with much of the nation’s infrastructure, Tacoma lacks the funding to pay for this. Has your city or state implemented new flood control measures? Share your thoughts by e-mailing us at [email protected].