West Virginia’s Experience Can Inform Flood Resiliency Efforts in Other Mountain States
Better data, ongoing investment, and community-based projects will be key to combating increasingly severe storms
Editor’s note: This data visualization was updated Feb. 2, 2024, to correct an error in the name of a state agency referenced in a photo caption.
Endnotes
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Storm Events Database, January 1950 to April 2023, https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/.
- National Geospatial Program, “Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Full Model for WV (Published 20230710) FileGDB,” U.S. Geological Survey, https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/643702c9d34ee8d4addcc20d.
- West Virginia GIS Technical Center, “Streams - Major Rivers and Lakes,” http://www.wvgis.wvu.edu/data/dataset.php?ID=204.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Storm Events Database.
- Derived from: NYU Furman Center, “Floodzonedata.us,” New York University School of Law and Wagner School of Public Service, https://floodzonedata.us/.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency, “Zone A,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, https://www.fema.gov/glossary/zona.
- N. Zègre (West Virginia University associate professor of forest hydrology), testimony before the West Virginia Joint Legislative Committee on Flooding (Sept. 11, 2022).
- NYU Furman Center, “Floodzonedata.us.”
- Ibid.
- Derived from: First Street Foundation, “Flood Factor: Defining America’s Past, Present, and Future Flood Risk,” https://firststreet.org/risk-factor/flood-factor/.
- Derived from: Vulnerability Mapping Analysis Platform, “Social Vulnerability Mapping Tool,” University of Central Florida, https://www.vulnerabilitymap.org/Mapping-Tools/Social-Vulnerability.
- Derived from: NYU Furman Center, “Floodzonedata.us.”
- C. Hodousek, “Clendenin Remembers Historic Flood 6 Years Later,” MetroNews, June 23, 2022, https://wvmetronews.com/2022/06/23/clendenin-remembers-historic-flood-6-years-later/
- Ibid.; A. Bishop, “Clendenin Fire Chief Says Town Is More Prepared Three Years After Historic Flood,” Eyewitness News: WCHS 8/Fox 11, June 23, 2019, https://wchstv.com/news/local/three-years-since-historic-floods-and-clendenin-fire-chief-says-theyre-more-prepared.
- J. Severino, “'We’re Over This Flood': Five Years After June 2016 Flood, Clendenin Looks Toward the Future,” Charleston Gazette-Mail, June 22, 2021, https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/kanawha_valley/were-over-this-flood-five-years-after-june-2016-flood-clendenin-looks-toward-the-future/article_7345b180-d824-5b32-baff-10cb56049de3.html.
- U.S. Census Bureau, “Quick Facts: Greenbrier County, West Virginia,” https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/map/greenbriercountywestvirginia,WV/IPE120221; B. Watts, “A Look Back: Four Years Since One of West Virginia’s Deadliest Floods,” WDBJ7.com, Jan. 23, 2020, https://www.wdbj7.com/2020/06/23/a-look-back-four-years-since-one-of-west-virginias-deadliest-floods/.
- Watts, “A Look Back.”
- WSAZ News Staff, “Flash Flooding: Portions of Huntington Underwater Following Storm,” WSAZ News Channel 3, May 6, 2022, https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/06/flash-flooding-portions-huntington-under-water-following-storm/.
- C. Hessler, “Officials Hold out Hope for Federal Assistance as They Assess Flood Damage,” The Herald-Dispatch, May 10, 2022, https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/officials-hold-out-hope-for-federal-assistance-as-they-assess-flood-damage/article_9ea3d9b8-255c-54e3-a0a7-ff3be4757a73.html.
- Zègre, statement.
- National Climate Change Assessment, “Heavy Downpours Increasing,” U.S. Global Change Research Program, https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/our-changing-climate/heavy-downpours-increasing#menu-highlights.
- B. Patterson, “After Deadly Floods, West Virginia Created a Resiliency Office. It’s Barely Functioning,” West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Jan. 27, 2020, https://wvpublic.org/after-deadly-floods-west-virginia-created-a-resiliency-office-its-barely-functioning/.
- West Virginia Senate Bill 586 (2020), https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2020_SESSIONS/RS/signed_bills/senate/SB586%20SUB1%20ENR_signed.pdf.
- West Virginia GIS Technical Center, “WV Flood Tool,” West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, https://www.mapwv.gov/flood/map/.
- Derived from: First Street Foundation, “Flood Factor.”
- West Virginia Senate Bill 677 (2023), https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_history.cfm?INPUT=677&year=2023&sessiontype=RS.