Q&A
Flooding risks during drought conditions
1:16:41
ยท
173 sec
Council Member Restler raises concerns about increased flooding risks during drought conditions and discusses potential measures to enhance the city's resilience to extreme weather events during these periods.
- Explains the counterintuitive relationship between drought and increased flooding risk
- Inquires about DEP's preparations for extreme weather events during drought conditions
- Discusses the impact of dried-out green areas on stormwater absorption
- Suggests the need for further consideration of strengthening resiliency and flood prevention during drought conditions
Lincoln Restler
1:16:41
I appreciate all of those answers, and and certainly the first responsibility of DEP as an agency is to make sure that we all have access to clean drinking water.
1:16:49
That is, you know, foundational.
1:16:51
Totally appreciate that response.
1:16:53
I was getting at something a little bit different, which is when we're in a drought warning, we are at risk of flooding in a more heightened, way, which may sound contradictory to say it out loud, but it's not.
1:17:07
And so I just am asking from a resiliency standpoint, if we do have extreme weather events while there is a drought going on, which may help alleviate the drought conditions over time, it does put us at greater risk for flooding.
1:17:18
Is there anything we can do?
1:17:19
And this and we were experiencing a drought during a time period of our hurricane season.
1:17:24
Right?
1:17:25
So could you elaborate, is there anything that we could or should be doing as an agency to prepare for those types of extreme weather events during drought conditions, as this is unfortunately a potential reality that we'll see more frequently in the future?
1:17:40
Or is this
Robert Holden
1:17:41
a reason?
Jim Gennaro
1:17:41
I tell you what, before you reply, I I I don't fully understand the question.
1:17:47
It's also kind of like an echo in the room.
1:17:49
So we have a, you know, drought going on, then we have a severe weather event and it and it and it's raining, and the and and the premise of the question is
Lincoln Restler
1:17:59
The premise of the question is that our dried out green areas are less able to absorb, stormwater and reduce stormwater from entering into our system, and therefore, we're less equipped to be able to handle and withstand an extreme weather event because of the drought conditions that affect our green areas.
1:18:23
That would be the premise.
1:18:24
Okay.
1:18:24
Alright.
1:18:25
Now I get I just You can tell me I'm a crazy person.
1:18:27
You all are a lot more knowledgeable than me.
Jim Gennaro
1:18:28
I just wanted to understand the question.
Lincoln Restler
1:18:31
That was what I was getting at.
1:18:32
But you can tell me that it's not a concern or that you don't think it's a thing that we need to worry about, and I'm happy to do it, happy to listen to you, but that was my premise.
Kathryn Mallon
1:18:41
I'd say intuitively, I don't think it's something to worry about, but it's also not something that we've looked at, in preparation for, storm.
1:18:49
I don't think our preparation for a storm would be any different in a drought or a nondrought, but, you know, would we get more runoff during a drought?
1:18:58
I mean, potentially, but, would be relatively insignificant compared to the amount of impervious area throughout the whole city.
Lincoln Restler
1:19:09
I I appreciate that it may not be
Christopher Gawarecki
1:19:11
We'll take a
Kathryn Mallon
1:19:12
look at that.
Lincoln Restler
1:19:12
But I appreciate you taking a look at it, and I think that how we consider strengthening resiliency and flood prevention during drought conditions is something that I think we need to consider and, and and ensure that it's not an enhanced risk for for the city moving forward.
1:19:32
Thank you very much, chair, and thank you, panel.