NOAA 2004-R972 |
NOAA
News Releases 2004 NOAA Home Page NOAA Public Affairs |
NOAA GRANTS MORE THAN $500,000 TO THE NORTH CAROLINA FLOODPLAIN MAPPING PROGRAM TO FUND RIVER BASIN MAPPING The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded $513,000 to the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program to finance the mapping of the Neuse and Lumber River basins. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The grant will support Phase II of North Carolina’s development of a flood mapping system and database for North Carolina river basins. The system will produce maps in real-time that depict areas of inundation and depth of inundation, as well as flood forecast maps that show areas that are expected to become inundated hours or even days into the future. This phase will develop more detailed and sophisticated models, which will improve accuracy and the extent of coverage. Phase I began in 2002 with the mapping of the Tar River basin, and Phase II will extend this work to include the Neuse and Lumber River basins. “The updated flood hazard data will provide current, accurate information for North Carolina communities and property owners to make sound decisions when experiencing floods,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “NOAA and the Bush Administration are working to improve the understanding of our environment and to strengthen local initiatives like those administered by the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program.”
Following the extensive inland flooding caused by Hurricane Fran and
Floyd, Governor James B. Hunt and the North Carolina General Assembly
tasked the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program to improve the
flood information forecasting system. The goal of the proposed program
is to reduce the loss of life and flood related property damage by
providing emergency managers and the public with more timely, detailed
and accurate information regarding existing flooding and probable
flooding. NOAA
is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through
the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events
and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal
and marine resources. To learn more about NOAA, please visit http://www.noaa.gov. |