In Charlotte We Get Rain

Sometimes we go for weeks without rain, and sometimes we get a lot during back-to-back rainy days.

This past Saturday, we saw over an inch of rain. Then on Tuesday we saw 3.43 inches of rain in about 12 hours. The results were impressive or troubling depending on your perspective. 

Flooding was Everywhere

Yes, in Charlotte we normally see more rain than Seattle which averages around 38 inches annually. 

The difference is over in the home of Starbucks it comes at a slow nearly constant drip and in the Queen City it comes in random downpours.

In the last 365 days our Rea Road neighborhoods saw a total rainfall amount of 52.49 inches.

Which is why future development needs to be carefully thought out and more and denser is not always better.

During the last two decades Charlotte’s growth and impervious surface areas have expanded dramatically. This has created flood zones and areas prone to flooding that did not exist years ago.

In fact, the greatest concentration of FEMA Floodplains and Floodways in Mecklenburg County are located in South Charlotte.

FEMA Floodplain and Wetlands surround the Gillespie Property on 3 sides.

When developers are allowed to clear cut trees and reengineer the topography without regard for the surrounding terrain, we end up with stunning changes in flood flow.

Below is the stormwater flow off the Gillespie Property during the rainstorm on Tuesday January 9^th.

Photo Courtesy of Garland Green

Photo Courtesy of Garland Green

Photo Courtesy of Garland Green

Thankfully the thick stand of mature trees on the property absorbed much of the rainfall, still the amount of rain overwhelmed Elm Lane.

Trees Prevent Flooding and Erosion

The Rea Road Gillespie Property developer has stated that there would be a possible 30% tree save on the 53-acre site. At first glance this seems reasonable since the city requires only a 10% tree save. In fact, the developer says this is more than generous.

However, this is pretty disingenuous, since 30% of the property consists of FEMA Floodplain and pond. In fact, exactly 15.9 acres of the 53 site or 30% of the property is unbuildable pond and FEMA Floodplain.

If the project, as proposed, is approved the developer would remove the remaining 70% of the native forested area and replace it with 37 acres of mostly impervious surface creating somewhere in the amount of 1 million gallons of run off every time it rains 1 inch. In other words, adding 1 million gallons to what you see in the above photos.

And so consider this: Over the twelve months ending December 31, 2023, Four Mile Creek reached ten feet, that is just short of the USGS Flood Stage, ten times.

 

But back in 2010 that same 10-foot mark was reached only 4 times. Between 2000 and 2015 the average is only 3 times a year. 

 

But in each of the last five years, that same ten-foot mark has been reached or surpassed at least ten times. Twelve times in 2020.

But in the decades prior, that ten feet mark was a rare event and flood stage even rarer. Today that once every 100 years FEMA flood mark, is reached every year.

 

It's Not Just Water

It is not just about the flooding and the water; it is about what is in the water (chemicals; petroleum products, pesticides, wastewater) and most importantly where it ends up. More than half the Gillespie property drains to the southwest and directly into the area known as “Pooh’s Corner”.  This small area is a pristine natural wetland that is home to endless varieties of wildlife.

Replacing the forested property with a massive apartment complex will destroy the fragile balance of nature's wetland habitat.

In the past developers could build whatever and wherever with little concern about the consequences. Now as the city grows internally, leaders, and developers need to be aware that their density staurating and infill development policies create tremendous strains on our environment and sometimes just saying NO is the best choice.