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<br />
<br />tions, GIS products support efforts to help elected officials, developers, budders, the
<br />business community, homeowners, and the general public better understand nood-
<br />plain and storm water issues.
<br />
<br />To assess flood risk, the GIS processes digital noodplain mapping and the tax
<br />assessment database, which contains data such as lot lines, land use type, property
<br />value, square footage, and age of structures, By displaying hazard zones and
<br />property data, mitigation alternatives can be analyzed quickly and effectively.
<br />Moreover, the GIS allows planners and engineers to model the impact of future
<br />flood events and to assess the impact of various land use, development patterns,
<br />and storm water management alternatives.
<br />
<br />The GIS is an important education tool, with a variety of applications, As a senior
<br />CMSWS engineer explains:
<br />....,rhe tools that we have. including the GPS and GIS, have been critical to our
<br />ability to graphically demonstrate to the [CIty] council the cost savings from
<br />mitigation strategies that we have put in place, including the proposed
<br />acquisitions that will involve HMGP funding.., Our modeling capabilities are
<br />also critical to our efforts in working with the business community to
<br />floodproof high-risk businesses, and in the process to build support for flood
<br />hazard mItigation and Project Impact,"
<br />
<br />- Bill Tingle, Senior Engineer,
<br />Charlotte-~1ecklenburg County Storm Water Services, March 4, 1999
<br />
<br />In summary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg's successful initiative illustrates how one
<br />community makes full use of technology as decision-support tools in a comprehen-
<br />sive, integrated storm water management and nood hazard mitigation program,
<br />Other elements of the program include structural control measures, nood preven,
<br />tion measures, property protection measures, flood warning and response, and
<br />community education. A senior official puts the role of GIS and other technologies
<br />in perspective:
<br />..", we afe certainly capitalizing on GIS, the Internet, and other technologies
<br />to look 5, 10,20 years down the road, and are examining various policy
<br />oprions and [flood hazard] implementation strategies that will minimize the
<br />flood hazard in Mecklenburg County While technology is importanr. progress
<br />often comes down to developing and nurturing closer relationships with
<br />people who live in the floodplain, so that we can craft strategies to reduce
<br />repetitive losses, and ultimateO' improve the quality of their lives, This is
<br />where I think we are making some headway"
<br />
<br />- W, Dave Canaan, Assistant Director,
<br />Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services, March 16, 1999
<br />
<br />Hazard Avoidance Strategies
<br />
<br />In the long,term, the most direct and cost-effective strategy to minimize or prevent
<br />damages and losses from noods, storm surges, and some other natural hazards is
<br />to guide development away from hazard-prone areas when other development
<br />locations are available, When development in vulnerable areas is unavoidable, the
<br />
<br />Part Two: Mitigation Sueees.Stori..
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