Tropical Storm Debby is most likely to flood these spots in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County
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Tropical Storm Debby
The National Weather Services declared a flash flood warning was in effect for Mecklenburg County until 11 a.m. on Thursday.
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Tropical Storm Debby is expected to bring heavy rains to North Carolina, creating the risk of dangerous flooding in some parts of the Charlotte area.
Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas are under a flood watch through Friday morning, the National Weather Service announced Wednesday. That means “extensive street flooding and flooding of creeks and rivers are possible,” the advisory said.
The storm is expected to bring 4 to 6 inches of rain to Charlotte, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 5 p.m. Wednesday estimate.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services is prepared for the storm’s expected arrival in the area Thursday and working to mitigate flooding, project manager Tim Trautman told The Charlotte Observer. The work included clearing debris from local creeks and working with other government agencies to make sure flood notification systems are running properly.
Some parts of the county are more vulnerable to flooding than others, he explained, and there are steps residents can take to check their flood risk and protect their homes, businesses and lives.
What areas in Charlotte are prone to flooding?
Flood risk “varies throughout” Mecklenburg County, Trautman said, based on factors such as topography and when the area was developed.
Parts of the Charlotte area closest to creeks and rivers are the most likely to flood, Trautman said. That includes roads that cross over Briar Creek or Little Sugar Creek
“Those areas are typically a little more vulnerable to heavy rain and flood waters,” he said.
Most creeks in and around Charlotte “can handle about 2 inches of rain an hour for an hour or two,” Trautman estimated.
“If it continues at that rate, or gets more than that amount of rain intensity, then we will start to see our creeks flow out of their banks,” he said.
Increased development can also increase a neighborhood’s flood risk, because more roads and other surfaces that prevent water from seeping into the ground lead to more runoff, Trautman said. Development standards are designed to address the issue with solutions such as retention ponds to capture water, he explained, but that’s not always enough during especially heavy rains.
“They do have limits and capacities, right? So once they’re full of water, whatever flows off goes into the local creeks,” Trautman said. “... There’s more runoff than there used to be in our area.”
Charlotte NC floodplain map
Mecklenburg County residents can use Storm Water Services’ interactive map to see the exact flood risk for their home or business.
To use the map, visit maps.mecklenburgcountync.gov/3dfz and enter the address in question. The program will then detail whether the property is in a floodplain, its risk level for flooding and tips for reducing the risk of flooding.
How to protect yourself, your property from flooding during Debby
To reduce the risk of flooding, Trautman recommends residents check the storm drains around their property and clear any debris, such as sticks and leaves, in order to help rainwater drain properly.
Folks should also consider moving their cars to higher ground if they live in a flood prone area, he added.
“We don’t want anyone to lose their lives or to have property impacted by flooding,” Trautman said.
This story was originally published August 7, 2024 at 6:23 PM.
