Anyone who grew up in Rhode Island has no doubt heard tales of deluge and disaster. Rising waters have flooded parts of the state time and time again, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage and claiming hundreds of lives over the past century.
No one likes to dwell on the possibility of more such devastation – but with 400 miles of shoreline and several powerful rivers, it cannot be wished away.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency considers the entire state a flood zone. At any time, there’s a 1-percent chance Rhode Island will be hit with a major weather catastrophe; by some estimates, the bill for damage from a so-called “100-year storm” could top $1 billion.
Is the Ocean State prepared for the storms and floods of tomorrow? That is impossible to say for sure. But planners are taking steps to make it more likely.
“The federal government is now at work on new flood zone maps for the state,” said Larry Macedo, a planning supervisor with the R.I. Emergency Management Agency.
“There are new methods available to study flood zones, so the old maps are being re-analyzed county by county. The maps for Providence County and Bristol County are already finished, but there will be a public review before they become official.”
Those new maps will be used to set rates for the federal government’s National Insurance Program, and to determine if changes in building codes are needed. Every business and every resident in the state qualifies for the insurance program.
Other agencies are at work, as well.
“We’ve recently adopted new policies to deal with climate change and rising sea levels, which will provide us with a scientific framework to institute certain standards on buildings and new construction down the road,” said Laura Ricketson-Dwyer, spokesperson for the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council, a state agency that oversees development and conservation along Rhode Island’s shore. Once those standards are developed, there will be a public hearings and possible changes before they are adopted by the CRMC.
The agency is also drawing up management plans for five areas of Rhode Island coastline, which will no doubt effect any new construction. One of those areas is a 24-mile stretch of Narragansett Bay shore that includes parts of Providence, East Providence, Pawtucket and Cranston, where residential development is supplanting the old industrial waterfront. The plan sets requirements for public access to the waterfront, for storm-water management, for green buffer zones and for set-backs for buildings along the shore.
“It’s a blueprint for good, green development along the urban waterfront,” said Ricketson-Dwyer. “And we’re looking at coastal hazards, floods and storm events.”
The north-to-south geography of Narragansett Bay presents special problems to those planning for weather catastrophes.
“A low-pressure system can actually lift the water in the Bay,” said Austin Becker, a marine research associate at the Sea Grant and Coastal Resource Center at the University of Rhode Island. “And if a hurricane passes our area from the west, that means southerly winds. When those winds blow across the Bay, they can push water into the northern end, where it can pile up into a large wave – a storm surge.”
That’s exactly what happened during the Great Hurricane of 1938, the worst weather-related calamity in state history. The waters of Narragansett Bay rose more than 15 above normal spring tides, flooding the streets of downtown Providence. Several motorists drowned in their cars, and more than 300 fatalities were reported throughout the state.
Floods have devastated communities away from the coast, as well.
In 1955, Hurricane Diane turned the Blackstone River into a raging torrent. In Woonsocket, floodwaters rose to the level of streetlights. Erosion at one cemetery washed coffins into the streets. Total property damage topped $175 million.
And over the past century Rhode Island has experienced other less serious but still expensive floods. In 1927 the bill for flood damage topped $1 million; in 1979, $6 million; and in 1991, $115 million.
Despite engineering projects to control flooding, damage still occurs.
“Last year, an April rainstorm caused damage to sad Macedo noted. “That led to a disaster declaration by the president. And there was damage to homes and businesses throughout the state in October 2005. There was no disaster declaration that time, but the [U.S.] Small Business Administration did provide special funds to those who applied.”
The state’s Emergency Management Agency recently offered some safety tips for when the next flood strikes. They apply to businesses as well as homeowners:
• Heed evacuation requests.
• Tell employees to follow recommended evacuation routes, as shortcuts may be blocked or dangerous.
• Never walk through flowing water; a depth of just 6 inches is enough to knock you off your feet.
• Never drive through flooded areas or around road barriers. During severe floods, more people die in their cares than anywhere else.
• Once the emergency has passed, take photographs of flood damage, and contact your insurance company as soon as possible.
• Clean or dispose of anything that has been submerged, as floodwater is typically contaminated with sewage and chemicals.
“Be prepared for a rough time,” the agency’s release advises. “Recovering from a flood is a big job. It is rough on the body and the spirit. The aftereffects of this type of disaster may last a long time. Consult a health professional on how to recognize and care for anxiety, stress, and fatigue.” •
