Calendar of Events

Join Us for our February 27, 2019 Evening Event
at the UM Kim Engineering Bldg

Registration ends at 10 am on February 27, 2019

Topic: Urban Flooding: A Growing National Threat - Houston, Baltimore, Washington, Ellicott City, etc. - Is Your's Next?

Speaker: Gerald E. Galloway, PE, PhD

Topic Summary: Dramatic increases in heavy rainfall events, neglect of urban infrastructure, and inattention to land-use planning are putting more and more communities at risk at great surprise to many of the people who are affected by these events. Nearly 75% of those flooded during Hurricane Harvey resided outside of the infamous FEMA “100 year” flood zone and believed they were safe from floods. These disasters are occurring in major metropolitan areas, in small cities, and in the neighborhoods across the country. Sections of Washington, Philadelphia, and New York are impacted every year by urban floods. The largest flood event in the US in 2014 occurred in Detroit not as a result of rivers rising from their banks but from stormwater and sewage systems whose lack of capacity and maintenance failures flooded major portions of the metro area. While the nation is familiar with Ellicott City and its heartbreaks, far fewer understand the repetitive street flooding in sections of South Baltimore and near the Nation's Capital. Unfortunately, much of the burden of this urban infrastructure flooding falls on the shoulders of those who have the least ability to extricate themselves from the threat and to recover after such an event occurs. This nationwide problem is just beginning to be addressed and, because of climate change and infrastructure shortfalls will likely only get worse. What role do pubic officials and private citizens play in addressing this challenge?

Meeting Location Date and Time:

February 27, 2019, from 7 - 9 pm, at the University of Maryland Kim Engineering Building in the Kay Boardroom.

Drinks and Food will be served.

Cost $15 PMI Southern Maryland Chapter Members; $18 Non-Members

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