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Several factors contribute to Palm Beach County's flooding. Among these are rainfall intensity, rainfall duration, surface conditions, topography, and poor natural drainage. An increasingly significant contributing factor is rapid water runoff associated with the vast areas of impervious surfaces created by new development, often creating flood prone areas where they didn't previously exist. Flooding often occurs as a result of extended wet periods that create saturated soil conditions, after which additional rain causes surface ponding or overflows catchment canals and ponds. Intense or prolonged concentrated rains are the primary causes of localized flooding throughout the county. Maintenance of major drainage canals and pumps is critical to managing the area's water levels, as is keeping neighborhood drainage systems free from obstructions. The task of managing water levels is slowed and complicated by our flat terrain. Palm Beach County's coastal areas are susceptible to storm-surge flooding...the sudden and massive build up of water levels by the force of onshore winds produced by tropical storms, hurricanes, and northeasterners. Water levels of 12 feet or more can overflow normally dry lands with devastating results. The severity of flooding can vary significantly based on a variety of factors such as storm intensity, forward speed, angle of attack, the slope of continental shelf, tidal conditions, etc. The northern and southern coastal areas of the county are somewhat more susceptible to surge flooding than are the central sections. Improbable but very serious flood threats involve the potential overtopping of Lake Okeechobee or a breach of the Herbert Hoover Dike that helps contain the Lake . An event like the 1928 Hurricane flooding, which killed thousands in western Palm Beach County , remains a worst-case flood disaster scenario. |
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