Flood Control Projects to be Considered

Flood Control Projects to be Considered

Article describes a committee being formed to review flood control plans for the area. Representatives from local government agencies and other civic organizations are chosen to staff the committee. The TVA has agreed to assist the committee in carrying out the plans. Sites for reservoirs have been suggested, but no survey has been conducted yet. The project as a whole is estimated to cost upwards of $10 million. At the meeting, a speaker suggests that major floods in the region occur with some regularity--the past three largest floods were roughly 12 years apart from one other. The speaker then suggests two methods for flood control; protecting property in the areas immediately affected by flooding, or restraining the flow of the flood itself to limit its impact. The speaker states that a combination of these two methods is best, and uses the Miami river valley in Ohio as an example of how combining the methods can work.

Asheville's need for flood control methods is dire--a proper study on the "flood problem" has never been conducted, as far as the speaker is aware. The speaker suggests that the study could be based upon the preexisting records of the extent of the previous floods, such as the heights of the flood crests and how much rainfall there was before and during the flood. The Swannanoa river, Hominy creek, Mills river, and French Broad river are cited as the best places to build "Flood-storage" reservoirs, however the cost of this endeavor is unknown. Lastly, the speaker suggests that "if the people of Asheville desire to push flood control protection", a committee needs to be formed to discuss the matter with the Tennessee Valley Authority.

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