Although Boone residents are coming to expect flooding during storm events, the physical and environmental damages of the floods are causing continued harm to the town. The town of Boone has a local river gauge dashboard tracking water levels at three different sites in town. The gauge labels “major” flooding at 7 feet. At the Deerfield Road Area and East Fork of the New River monitoring site, the water level peaked around 1245 a.m. on Aug. 18 at 9.2 feet. At the monitoring site by Hunting Hills Road and the South Fork of the New River, the water level rose to staggering 12.9 feet around 105 a.m. on Aug. 18.
Town of Boone’s sustainability and special projects manager, George Santucci, said that there are many factors that play into why flooding in Boone has become so intense. He noted the increased intensity of storms as well as the impact of development in the town. “Boone is a small town, we’re only six square miles,” Santucci said. Water cannot pass through impervious surfaces, such as roads and the materials which build buildings. Santucci said that as more of these surfaces are built in Boone there is less space water has to be absorbed into the ground during major storms, which is called a floodway.
To learn more, please read the full article, Boone Floods During Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred, Harms Water Quality (PDF)