Flooded, the parts of the Glenwood Recreanational Park near Princeton, W.VA., were devoured, was only an example of the widespread effects of a storm in February 2025.
West Virginia works with the Federal Government to conduct two studies on the reduction of floods in regions that are known for widespread and often devastating flood events, as can be seen from a press release from Governor Patrick Morrisey.
The studies are led by the US Army engineering corps and concentrate on communities in Wyoming County – Mullens, Pineville and Oceana – as well as the water sheath of the Kanawha River Basin. The aim of the press release is to evaluate the potential advantages of projects that could lend a hand alleviate the worst effects of flood events in the future.
“We know all too well, the dangers that go to West Virginia about floods,” said Morrisey in the press release. “These disasters have disturbed life, damaged the infrastructure and destroyed entire communities. With these new initiatives, we are investing in data -controlled, long -term solutions that help us to better protect our people and prepare our state for the upcoming challenges.”
In the Kanawha River Basin, the researchers will examine in total in total as a total of “a comprehensive selection of strategies for flood risk management”. Fourteen of these districts according to the publication were directly influenced by the historical floods in June 2016.
The municipalities examined in Wyoming County as part of the Upper Guyandototte study are among the highest risk of flooding in the state in accordance with the publication.
After a 2023 study From researchers at West Virginia University, more than 24% of the structures in the Wyoming district in a “special flood hazard area” apply – the fourth highest ratio for each district in the state. About 90% of these structures are residential buildings.
Representative of the Federal Emergency Management Agency I said This flood is the first disaster that hit West Virginia every year. Between 2018 and 2022, deafening West Virginia’s reduction plan plan21 flood events in West Virginia cost the state more than 26 million dollars of property damage.
Overall the residents of the southern Koelfelder of the state are the most endangered in the state for both smaller and immense floods. And every time an flood hits, floodplains expand in affected areas, so that the residents and structures are the next massive rain due to the soil and stone erosion.
The new reduction studies are financed by both state and federal dollars. In Wyoming County, the costs for the project are evenly divided into the state and the federal government, both of which contribute 1.5 million US dollars. The feasibility study by the Kanawha River Basin will also be 3 million US dollars and divided 50/50. Several municipalities, which are described as “economically disadvantaged”, will qualify for reduced state costs and reduce the state share in these areas to only 10%.
A spokesman for Morrisey said Civil Conttency Fund of the GovernorA pot of money that serves as the main resource of the state for the changeover of natural disasters and for the governor, which he can utilize in any way that he looks at.
It is one of the few investments in the state’s flood prevention in recent years despite Flood events are becoming more common mostly due to the consequences of Climate change.
In 2023, the state created a fund for flood prevention within the framework of the state severance office to support the protection of the communities affected by floods and the implementation of recommendations included in the state’s flood plan.
Since its foundation, the Flood Resiliency Trust fund has never been assigned money.
Under the former governor Jim Justice, the legislator controlled by Republicans still decided against sending money to the fund Inquiries from JusticeEven while the leaders were broken into the state with record revenue.
In the Delegate House in this former legislative period, Only 19 legislators – Every democrat in the house and 10 Republicans – voted in favor of a change in the proposed state budget, which would have included $ 50 million in the fund.
Morrisey also in his originally proposed budget, too Do not contain financing for the measure.
So far two fatal flood events – one in the Southern Coalfields And another in the northern part of the state – hit West Virginia and cost at least twelve lives and millions of dollars in property damage.
After the floods in North -West Virginia last month, where nine people died, Said Morrisey He plans to “conduct additional discussions with the legislator and others about the importance of flood prevention”.
“I want to make sure we learn from the past,” he said.
They enable our work.
