The most effective mitigation of flood risk is consistent, sound local floodplain management.
Examples of mitigation efforts include:
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Elevating home in Village of Lore City (Guernsey County)
A series of severe floods in the 1990s prompted many citizens to use the technical assistance provided by the Floodplain Management Program to better protect their existing structures. Responses included, purchase of federal flood insurance, installing foundation flood vents, lifting HVAC units, using flood resistant materials, and in some cases, elevating entire structures or relocating out of the floodplain. |
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Demolition of severely flooded homes in the Village of Russells Point (Logan County)
In 2003, a neighborhood that recurrently floods experienced a multi-cresting flood so severe that the entire first floor of one of the structures shown above collapsed. In cooperation with state and federal agencies, village officials successfully proposed a mitigation project for this area. Property owners were offered a fair market (pre-flood) price for their devastated structures and when the next flood came, within a year, the owners who accepted the offer were no longer in harm’s way. |
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Reconfiguration of a home in the Village of Powhatan Point (Belmont County)
During the Ohio River flood of 2005, many more homes were severely flooded, including the one pictured to the left above. But, because these owners had purchased flood insurance, they not only were able to use their flood insurance settlement to rebuild, but with guidance from the Floodplain Management Program, learned about and received up to $30,000 in Increased Cost of Compliance Coverage that is included with every standard federal insurance policy-over and above their flood insurance claim. With this additional help, they constructed an elevated level for their home, above the regulatory flood elevation. The original first floor is now used for parking, storage and access. |
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