NOAA's National Weather Service, Susquehanna River Basin Commission and other organizations this week marked National Flood Safety Awareness Week, March 21-25.

This 5-day designation was issued by NWS to coincide with the beginning of spring, which is the time of the year when the threat of flooding is generally the greatest - although flooding can occur any time of the year.

The National Weather Service has established a special Flood Safety Awareness Week webpage to provide access to a wide-range of information related to flooding and flood safety programs, including safety tips, and information on flood insurance programs and how to flood proof homes.

According to the NWS, more people die each year in the U.S. from flooding than any other severe-weather event, and more than half of those deaths are the result of people attempting to drive on flooded roadways and are swept away. NWS created the special Turn Around Don't Drown program to educate the public about this danger.

More than 80 percent of the 1,400 plus municipalities in the Susquehanna basin include areas that are flood-prone.

Since 1986, the Susquehanna Flood Forecasting and Warning System has provided the data used by the NWS to issue accurate and timely flood watches and warnings. The Susquehanna System is extremely cost-effective, with a benefit-cost ratio of 20-to-1. For every federal dollar invested in the Susquehanna System, $20 are saved through reduced damages and reduced federal flood recovery payouts.

The Susquehanna System, which is credited with reducing flood damages in the Susquehanna basin by an average of $32 million each year, performed extremely well during Tropical Storm Ivan in September 2004. Using data generated by the Susquehanna System, the NWS was able to issue near-perfect flood predictions and warnings - giving businesses and residents time to secure their property and get themselves out of harm's way before the flood waters struck.

SRBC is supporting a $2 million appropriation request for federal fiscal year 2006. These funds, if restored, would be allocated to the NWS and the U.S. Geological Survey to maintain and operate the Susquehanna System.

NewsClip: Funding Sought for Susquehanna Flood Warning System

Editorial: Something Has to Give

3/25/2005