Tennessee State and Local Leaders Call for Action Against Constant Flooding

Nashville, TN (TN Tribune)–Tennessee leaders look to address the causes of flooding as, once again, Tennesseans in the mid-state are picking up the pieces from a historic, devastating flood just barely a decade after the once-in-a-lifetime flood of 2010.

Homes, businesses, and families have been torn apart by the torrential downpours and rising waters on the evening of March 26^th. The Red Cross reports that 540 homes have been damaged or destroyed. Sadly, 7 Tennesseans lost their lives in the storm.

Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson said, “The flooding in Williamson County and across Middle Tennessee is absolutely heart wrenching. I thank the first responders for putting themselves at risk to rescue those who were stranded. We cannot continue to allow flooding to destroy both property and lives. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Nashville to find ways to support those in need and to prevent devastating floods in the future.”

This pattern of destruction and rebuilding only to have the waters rise again is unsustainable. Flooding is the costliest natural disaster in Tennessee ringing up an average of $243 million in losses every year. It is estimated that 15%, or 489,185 properties, in Tennessee are at risk of flooding at some point in the next 30 years.

Tim Edwards, Owner of Edwards Feeds, said, “My family has owned and operated Edwards Feeds since 1935. As a native of Wilson County, I know exactly where it is going to flood. When the rains start, I only have so much time to move my inventory out of harm’s way before our building becomes inundated with water. In March, I lost 70 tons of feed, seed, and other inventory to the flood. I hope our local and state leaders can work together to end this repetitive cycle of destruction, so businesses like mine can thrive.”

States like South Carolina, Florida, and Texas are improving their understanding of local and regional vulnerability to flooding and tackling risk with state-level planning and coordination.  State policy can inform better land use decisions, such as avoiding risky construction in flood-prone areas and ensuring that development will not exacerbate flooding downstream. Regional planning can also yield cooperative mitigation solutions—such as flood plain restoration that results in networks of parks and greenways—that benefit multiple communities within a watershed. State action to proactively prepare for flooding, can reduce the costs of damages and disruption, and save lives.