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<br /> <br />Two-story, single- <br />family house raised on <br />fill, South Natick, <br />Massachusetts <br /> <br />This house contains 10 rooms on two floors, each floor of <br />which is 2200 square feet. It is located approximately 150 feet <br />from the Charles River, which within the past 40 years has <br />flooded the area three times-March 1968, January 1979, and <br />June 1982. During the floods of 1968 and 1979, floodwaters <br />reached depths of approximately 3 feet in the vicinity of the <br />house. The latest flood, in 1982, caused only minor flooding. <br />Following the March 1968 flood, which caused substantial <br />damage, a decision was made by the owner to flood proof the <br />house. Waterproofing of the basement was too expensive <br />considering there was no guarantee of its effectiveness. It was <br />therefore decided to raise the house 4 feet on a concrete block <br />foundation. This would place the structure above the 1968 flood <br />level. The exterior walls were covered with plastic, and loam was <br />filled in around the extended block foundation. A 3-foot-high <br />stone wall was built around the front portion of the house <br />(Figure A4). All utilities were subsequently moved to the first <br />floor. <br /> <br />During January 1979 flood, neighbors on either side of this <br />structure were forced to evacuate, while the owners of this house <br />remained in their home for the duration of the flood. The only <br />flooding was about 4 inches of water in the basement which was <br />handled by a sump pump. <br /> <br />Although this method has proven to be effective, the house <br />has no auxiliary power source. If the local electric utility were to <br />discontinue service during a flood, the owners would be unable <br />to keep the sump pump active and the water in the basement <br />could rise to a level that would cause damage. Otherwise this <br />flood proofing method appears to be thorough and effective. It <br />should be noted that it is never advisable for occupants to <br />remain in a flood proofed structure when it is surrounded by <br />floodwater since it is always possible that a flood may exceed <br />the design capacity of the flood proofing measure, thus <br />endangering their lives. <br /> <br />20 <br />