From Live5News.com
If you live in or near the Holy City you are well aware that the tiniest and shortest storm can lead to flooding. What you may not know is why Charleston (and some surrounding areas) floods so easily.
The City of Charleston has a Powerpoint-type presentation available online that explains why the city floods. It is very detailed and contains plenty of information.
If you are too lazy to read it, here are the main reasons:
- The city is flat, surrounded by water and is only a few feet above mean sea level
- High-tide can lead to more flooding because there is less area for the rain to drain to
- Various drainage techniques have been implemented since the 1800s with varying degrees of success.
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Resources:
- Here's a Google Map of what streets tend to flood when it rains.
- The Charleston City Paper provides a historical look at why the city floods.
- For flood safety information and other resources, click here.
- And yes, the flooding is only going to get worse.
