The August Flood of 2016

[NewsCopy]

Louisiana disaster survivors are urged to register for federal disaster assistance with FEMA.

Individuals and business owners in the designated parishes who had severe storm or flood damage may register for assistance

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EuniceToday.com

[NewsCopy]

As people survey Louisiana flood damage, 8th death reported

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KATC

[cajunhawk]

Almost like the developer did it as a sick joke..

You try selling homes in a place called Lowland Insurance Claim.

[CharlieK]

I never understood not buying flood insurance just cause you aren't in a "flood plain". 1st, not being in the flood plain makes it super cheap. 2nd. If you live in South Louisiana you live in a flood plain. If someone will sell you thousands of dollars of insurance for a few hundred bucks to protect you against flooding in an area as low and with as poor drainage as this, you buy it.

I understand many people were told they didn't need it.....they should have been told they weren't in a bad flood plain, so it's cheap, so buy it just in case.

[CameronCajun]

Class act.

[scotto_25]

Bought mine as the water was rising across the street to about 5 feet. All surrounding neighborhoods were completely washed out, but my house was spared.....

Not many around me had flood insurance as we were "not in a flood zone." But the problem is that with 5 new neighborhoods either built or being build around you at higher levels than the older neighborhoods causes you to be in the middle of that soup bowl.

My insurance kicks in no September @ $389/year for $200k+ of insurance.

Louisiana will be a flood zone at the release of the next "updated flood map" Insufficient drainage, infrastructure problems, etc....all added to the massive standing water in "non-flood zones". I know a record amount of rain dropped, but other factors played a part.

[HelmutVII]

All areas are in a flood zone. A REGULATED FLOOD ZONE is either "A" or "AE". That means that it has a 1% chance of flood in any given year. A regulated flood zone requires that the finished floor of any new structure enclosed on three sides needs to be at or above the established Base Flood Elevation for that particular area. There are other things that need to be done to construct a structure in a REGULATED FLOOD ZONE but that is the most important thing. A REGULATED FLOOD ZONE IS WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS BEING IN A FLOOD ZONE. If you are in Flood Zone X you are not in a regulated flood zone. That means you have less than 1% change of flood in any given year. Unregulated flood zones have no Base Flood Elevation established and as such, there is no minimum finished floor established.

It is not entirely up to you if you purchase flood insurance. If you are buying an existing structure, and are financing the purchase price, your lender will require that you have flood insurance. If you are not financing the purchase buying flood insurance is up to you.

If you buy flood insurance and are in a regulated flood zone then you will be required to obtain a Flood Elevation Certificate. This is a document that is provided by a licensed Land Surveyor or Civil Engineer. The FEC will have information on the ground elevation, finished floor elevation, Base Flood Elevation, photographs of the structure and other information particular to that site. How the finished floor elevation of your structure relate to the Base Flood Elevation will determine your insurance rate.

If you are not in a regulated flood zone and want to by flood insurance what you have to do will depend on the insurance agent.

[Cajun90]

All areas are in a flood zone. A REGULATED FLOOD ZONE is either "A" or "AE". That means that it has a 1% chance of flood in any given year. A regulated flood zone requires that the finished floor of any new structure enclosed on three sides needs to be at or above the established Base Flood Elevation for that particular area. There are other things that need to be done to construct a structure in a REGULATED FLOOD ZONE but that is the most important thing. A REGULATED FLOOD ZONE IS WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS BEING IN A FLOOD ZONE. If you are in Flood Zone X you are not in a regulated flood zone. That means you have less than 1% change of flood in any given year. Unregulated flood zones have no Base Flood Elevation established and as such, there is no minimum finished floor established.

It is not entirely up to you if you purchase flood insurance. If you are buying an existing structure, and are financing the purchase price, your lender will require that you have flood insurance. If you are not financing the purchase buying flood insurance is up to you.

If you buy flood insurance and are in a regulated flood zone then you will be required to obtain a Flood Elevation Certificate. This is a document that is provided by a licensed Land Surveyor or Civil Engineer. The FEC will have information on the ground elevation, finished floor elevation, Base Flood Elevation, photographs of the structure and other information particular to that site. How the finished floor elevation of your structure relate to the Base Flood Elevation will determine your insurance rate.

If you are not in a regulated flood zone and want to by flood insurance what you have to do will depend on the insurance agent.

One of the big problems I see, especially in new developments, is that the developers will do what is needed to just get the property out of an A or AE zone. The public doesn't understand that being out of a regulated zone by a few inches in South Louisiana does not mean you are out of danger. I think there has to be a better way of explaining to the public in simple terms what their real risk is for flooding.

Further to what someone else said I also believe that we are behind the curve in the Lafayette metro area in regards to mitigating risk of new developments on existing structures. Youngsville in particular is concerning with their growth. It might be time for them to look at a major flood reservoir similar to Houston but on a smaller scale.

I think Lafayette has made a lot of headway in this area recently and the work on Kaliste Saloom and Verot has been helpful but it still wasn't enough for this flood and I'm not sure if you could realistically build out for that anyway. However if this flood had happened three years ago before all the drainage improvements (which aren't finished) I think the damage would have exponentially worse.

[CajunAmos]

All areas are in a flood zone. A REGULATED FLOOD ZONE is either "A" or "AE". That means that it has a 1% chance of flood in any given year. A regulated flood zone requires that the finished floor of any new structure enclosed on three sides needs to be at or above the established Base Flood Elevation for that particular area. There are other things that need to be done to construct a structure in a REGULATED FLOOD ZONE but that is the most important thing. A REGULATED FLOOD ZONE IS WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS BEING IN A FLOOD ZONE. If you are in Flood Zone X you are not in a regulated flood zone. That means you have less than 1% change of flood in any given year. Unregulated flood zones have no Base Flood Elevation established and as such, there is no minimum finished floor established.

It is not entirely up to you if you purchase flood insurance. If you are buying an existing structure, and are financing the purchase price, your lender will require that you have flood insurance. If you are not financing the purchase buying flood insurance is up to you.

If you buy flood insurance and are in a regulated flood zone then you will be required to obtain a Flood Elevation Certificate. This is a document that is provided by a licensed Land Surveyor or Civil Engineer. The FEC will have information on the ground elevation, finished floor elevation, Base Flood Elevation, photographs of the structure and other information particular to that site. How the finished floor elevation of your structure relate to the Base Flood Elevation will determine your insurance rate.

If you are not in a regulated flood zone and want to by flood insurance what you have to do will depend on the insurance agent.

Thought this was interesting.

http://lcg.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c74eb252049463996360876caec2046


Zone A - Special Flood Hazard Area, within 100 yr floodplain, BFE not determined by FEMA.

Zone AE - Special Flood Hazard Area, within 100 yr floodplain, Detailed study by FEMA, BFE determined by FEMA

Zone AH - Special Flood Hazard Area, within 100 yr floodplain, Areas of ponding, BFE determined by FEMA.

Zone X500 - Areas not in a Special Flood Hazard Area, within The 500 yr floodplain.

Zone X - Areas not in a Special Flood Hazard Area, outside The 500 yr floodplain.

• Flood insurance is mandatory for structures in Special Flood Hazard Areas
• Floodway – In the floodway, communities must prohibit encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, and other development within the adopted floodway unless it has been demonstrated through hydrologic and hydraulic analyses performed in accordance with standard engineering practice that the proposed encroachment would not result in ANY increase in flood levels within the community during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
• BFE – Base Flood Elevation, the computed elevation to which floodwater is anticipated to rise during the base flood is the 100-year flood elevation
• 100-year flood(Base Flood) – is the flood that has a 1% chance of occurring or being exceeded in any given year

Current and Preliminary Flood Zone Map PLEASE NOTE: This Preliminary Flood Zone Map is NOT the official map and is subject to change, the paper version is the official map.
Effective July 1, 2009:
As per Ordinance O-110-2009; all structures located in a special flood hazard area within the jurisdiction of the City of Lafayette and the unincorporated areas of Lafayette Parish are now required to build according to the following:
Residential Construction: New Construction or substantial improvement of any residential building (or manufactured home) shall; have the lowest floor, including basement mechanical and utility equipment, and ductwork, elevated no lower than 1 foot above Base Flood Elevation.
Non-Residential Construction: New Construction or substantial improvement of any commercial, industrial, or non-residential building (or manufactured home) shall:

• Have the lowest floor, including basement, mechanical and utility equipment, and ductwork elevated no lower than 1 foot above the Base Flood Elevation; or
• Be floodproofed to a level no lower than 1 foot above the level of the Base Flood Elevation, provided that all areas of the building (including mechanical and utility equipment) below the required elevation are watertight with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water and use structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and the effects

[ZoomZoom]

All areas are in a flood zone. A REGULATED FLOOD ZONE is either "A" or "AE". That means that it has a 1% chance of flood in any given year. A regulated flood zone requires that the finished floor of any new structure enclosed on three sides needs to be at or above the established Base Flood Elevation for that particular area. There are other things that need to be done to construct a structure in a REGULATED FLOOD ZONE but that is the most important thing. A REGULATED FLOOD ZONE IS WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS BEING IN A FLOOD ZONE. If you are in Flood Zone X you are not in a regulated flood zone. That means you have less than 1% change of flood in any given year. Unregulated flood zones have no Base Flood Elevation established and as such, there is no minimum finished floor established.

It is not entirely up to you if you purchase flood insurance. If you are buying an existing structure, and are financing the purchase price, your lender will require that you have flood insurance. If you are not financing the purchase buying flood insurance is up to you.

If you buy flood insurance and are in a regulated flood zone then you will be required to obtain a Flood Elevation Certificate. This is a document that is provided by a licensed Land Surveyor or Civil Engineer. The FEC will have information on the ground elevation, finished floor elevation, Base Flood Elevation, photographs of the structure and other information particular to that site. How the finished floor elevation of your structure relate to the Base Flood Elevation will determine your insurance rate.

If you are not in a regulated flood zone and want to by flood insurance what you have to do will depend on the insurance agent.

Thank you!!!!

Many are quick to blame developers. 99% of developers want to follow the rules, their business depends on it. It is NOT a developer's fault when mother nature sees fit to dump a gallon of milk (rain) in a cereal bowl. It happens all around the world every day. We got "skimmed" at our house. Our home was built by a very reputable builder in his time. Stuff happens.

[Cajun_RH]

Still don't like South Al but this is pretty cool

[HelmutVII]

Thought this was interesting.

http://lcg.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c74eb252049463996360876caec2046


Zone A - Special Flood Hazard Area, within 100 yr floodplain, BFE not determined by FEMA.

Zone AE - Special Flood Hazard Area, within 100 yr floodplain, Detailed study by FEMA, BFE determined by FEMA

Zone AH - Special Flood Hazard Area, within 100 yr floodplain, Areas of ponding, BFE determined by FEMA.

Zone X500 - Areas not in a Special Flood Hazard Area, within The 500 yr floodplain.

Zone X - Areas not in a Special Flood Hazard Area, outside The 500 yr floodplain.

• Flood insurance is mandatory for structures in Special Flood Hazard Areas
• Floodway – In the floodway, communities must prohibit encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, and other development within the adopted floodway unless it has been demonstrated through hydrologic and hydraulic analyses performed in accordance with standard engineering practice that the proposed encroachment would not result in ANY increase in flood levels within the community during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
• BFE – Base Flood Elevation, the computed elevation to which floodwater is anticipated to rise during the base flood is the 100-year flood elevation
• 100-year flood(Base Flood) – is the flood that has a 1% chance of occurring or being exceeded in any given year

Current and Preliminary Flood Zone Map PLEASE NOTE: This Preliminary Flood Zone Map is NOT the official map and is subject to change, the paper version is the official map.
Effective July 1, 2009:
As per Ordinance O-110-2009; all structures located in a special flood hazard area within the jurisdiction of the City of Lafayette and the unincorporated areas of Lafayette Parish are now required to build according to the following:
Residential Construction: New Construction or substantial improvement of any residential building (or manufactured home) shall; have the lowest floor, including basement mechanical and utility equipment, and ductwork, elevated no lower than 1 foot above Base Flood Elevation.
Non-Residential Construction: New Construction or substantial improvement of any commercial, industrial, or non-residential building (or manufactured home) shall:

• Have the lowest floor, including basement, mechanical and utility equipment, and ductwork elevated no lower than 1 foot above the Base Flood Elevation; or
• Be floodproofed to a level no lower than 1 foot above the level of the Base Flood Elevation, provided that all areas of the building (including mechanical and utility equipment) below the required elevation are watertight with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water and use structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and the effects

That is very helpful in that you can bounce between effective and revised preliminary flood maps. You can zoom in and turn the contour layer on. Keep in mind the contours are developed from a LIDAR which as some inaccuracies.

This is another good resource

http://maps.lsuagcenter.com/floodmaps/

You can place a pin point at a given location and get latitude, longitude, elevation flood zone and other useful information.

[NewsCopy]

After catastrophic flooding inundated many homes, high school students were among several groups helping out.
 

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[CajunDreDog]

This is a CATESTROPHIC level event in Baton Rouge! When this is all said and done, there will be more economic damage than from Katrina! There will be more families affected! There will be more square mileage flooded!

IT'S BAD BAD! I have so many friends, family, co-workers that have lost EVERYTHING, IT'S UNREAL!!!

This is Baton Rouge's Katrina!!! It will be a decade before BR area is back to "normal."

[SlickRick]

Very nice of them. Class act!