How Property Owners Can Prepare Against Floods
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| How prepared is Toronto to handle flooding? |
Was this season just an anomaly or can we expect further rainfall in the future? What is your government doing to anticipate and prevent further flood related damages to your property?
Because of lake-related flooding, the Toronto islands and coastlines received the majority of the damage. However, the problems did not stop there. The downtown core sewer system was designed during a time before global warming was popular, and when the population was considerably smaller. And unfortunately fixing our aging sewer infrastructure is now quite the extensive project.
Experts agree that global warming will result in intensification of these extreme weather patterns in the future. Expect more flooding, more precipitation in the years to come, this is amplified with our increasing population density. The real question being asked is - what are local governments doing to mitigate flood risks?
Unfortunately, city officials have mostly buried their heads in the sand. Leaked internal government documents cite concerns over reduction of property values, an increase in municipal legal liabilities, and a backlash from voters to take action. The political risk is great, which is why some city leaders have even taken the steps to reject free mapping tools, let alone offer this data to residents.
The Toronto Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) tries to pick up the ball by assisting the public and governments on potential flood warnings. Their website also contains a flood map viewer, identifying potential hotspots. However it only depicts generalized representation of the flood plain. Precise limits should be referred to the official regulatory flood plains map.
This is unacceptable. If your property is at risk, it should be the cities duty to provide the tools. At the very least, notifications should be mandatory. Property owners need to be prepared to mitigate any potential risks.
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| Sample of a Flood Plains Map |
First Base Solutions offer customers the opportunity to buy the official regulatory flood plains map, which shows precise limits. This will allow you to visualize exactly where your property is in relation to flood risks, and plan accordingly. Our regulatory Flood plains maps defines the 100-year storm event for lakes and rivers in the Toronto area. Using historical data from hurricane hazel, it can predict high water levels with accuracy.
If you are a concerned property owner living in a high risk area, the flood map may be just what you need to take preventative action. Visit MapWarehouse to check out your area today.
Credits:
http://torontoist.com/2017/06/flooding-across-gta-will-get-worse-climate-change/
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