JEKYLL ISLAND FLOOD FACTS
LOCAL
FLOOD HAZARD:
Flooding on Jekyll Island is caused by tropical storms and hurricanes. Flood waters can cover many blocks up to two or three feet deep.
The areas most prone to flooding are along the beach and marshes. In other areas of the island floodwaters are
not as deep, but may still cover streets and yards and can flood cars, garages,
basements and lower floors.
Flooding can come with little
warning. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd caused extensive damage to Jekyll Island.
JEKYLL
ISLAND
All of Jekyll Island is located in or adjacent to the 100-year floodplain.
This means that residents have a 1% chance of a flood occurring in any given year.
JEKYLL
ISLAND FLOOD SERVICES; Residents of
Jekyll Island should check their flood hazard. Flood maps and flood protection
references are available at the Jekyll Island Authority Facilites Office in
Villa Ospo, on Old Planatation Road and at the Fire Department, on Stable
Road. Flood information can also be
found in the reference section of the Brunswick-Glynn County Library, on
Gloucester Street, in Brunswick. In
each of these areas staff can provide you with information, such as the depth
of flooding over a building's first floor and past flood problems in the area.
Information
is also available for the construction
of residences in flood prone areas. The
JIA Facilities Office has a handout for selecting an architect, engineer, or
contractor. If you have a concern
about flooding or drainage, check our resources for assistance. These services are free.
FLOOD
INSURANCE: If you don't
have flood insurance, talk to your insurance agent. Homeowner's insurance
policies do not cover damage from floods. However, because Jekyll Island
participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can purchase a
separate flood insurance policy. This insurance is backed by the Federal
government and is available to everyone, even for properties that have been
flooded. Some people have purchased flood insurance because the bank required
it when they got a mortgage or home improvement loan. Usually these policies
just cover the building's structure and not the contents. During the kind of
flooding that happens on Jekyll Island, there is usually more damage to the
furniture and contents than there is to the structure. At last count, there were 415 flood
insurance policies for Jekyll Island.
If you are covered, check out the amount and make sure you have contents
coverage. Remember, even if the last flood missed you or you have done some
flood proofing, the next flood could be worse. Flood insurance covers all
surface floods.
FLOOD WARNING:
The National Weather Service along with the Glynn County Emergency
Management Agency disseminates flood warnings and evacuation data through
Georgia Public Radio Station 88.9 FM and national television stations. Additionally, the Jekyll Island Fire
Department provides information through Jekyll Island U. S. Cable Channel
14. Jekyll Island Civil Defense block
wardens will go door to door giving warnings to areas threatened by severe
weather. The Fire Department encourages
residents to leave the island when a voluntary evacuation is ordered. When a flood threatens, you must be prepared
to move to a place of safety. A hurricane and severe weather planner is
located on pages 45-48 of your BELLSOUTH Brunswick telephone book.
PROPERTY PROTECTION MEASURES: Every
year, flooding in the United States causes more property damage than any other
type of natural disaster. While recent improvements in construction practices
and regulations have made new homes
less prone to flood damage, there are a significant number of existing homes susceptible
to flood losses. The flooding to these properties can be minimized through
temporary and permanent retrofitting techniques.
·
One approach is to keep water away from your house by
constructing a floodwall or earthen berm.
These methods are accepted if you have a large lot, if the flooding
isn’t too deep and if your property is not in the floodway.
·
Another approach is to water proof your walls and place
watertight closures over the doorways. This method should be used on homes with
basements or if water will not get over two feet deep.
·
A third approach is to raise your house above the flood
level.
Measures to
protect a property from flood damage include retrofitting, grading a yard,
correcting local drainage problems, and emergency measures, such as, moving
furniture and sandbagging.
FLOOD
SAFETY: Do not walk through flowing water. Drowning is the number
one cause of flood deaths, mostly during flash floods. Currents can be
deceptive; six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet. If you walk
in standing water, use a pole or stick to ensure that the ground is still
there. Do not drive through a flooded area. More people drown in their cars
than anywhere else. Don't drive around road barriers; the road or bridge may be
washed out.
Stay away from power lines and electrical wires.
The number two flood killer after drowning is electrocution.
Electrical current can travel through water. Report downed power lines to
Georgia Power, 1-888-891-0938. Turn
off your electricity. Some appliances,
such as television sets, keep electrical charges even after they have been
unplugged.
Don't use appliances or motors that have become wet unless
they have been taken apart, cleaned, and dried. Be alert for gas leaks. Use a flashlight to inspect for damage.
Don't smoke or use candles, lanterns, or open flames unless you know the gas has been
turned off and the area has been ventilated.
DRAINAGE SYSTEM MAINTENANCE: Jekyll Island has a drainage inspection and
maintenance program. The Facilities Department conducts routine inspections of
all ditches, drains and streams at least once a year. The drainage system on
Jekyll Island must be kept clean or flooding will occur. Debris, even grass
clippings, in ditches and streams may obstruct the flow of water and cause
overflow into streets, yards and homes.
Jekyll Island Ordinance 15-115 makes it illegal to take any action that
will impede the flow of water in ditches and waterways or the dumping of debris
into any ditch. If you see any violations please contact Ronny Smith in the
Facilities Department, 635-4092.
PERMIT REQUIREMENTS: All
development on Jekyll Island requires a permit, not just the construction of a
building. You must contact David Smith in the Fire Department, at 635-2930
before you start any development. If you see development on Jekyll Island
without a permit please call: 635-2930 or 635-4092.
Jekyll Island requires that if
the cost of reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvements to
a building equals or exceeds 50% of the building's market value, then the
building must meet the same construction requirements as a new building.
Substantially damaged buildings must also be brought up to the same standards
(for example, a residence damaged so that the cost of repairs equals or exceeds
50% of the building's value before it was damaged may need to be elevated above
the base flood elevation). An
elevation certificate, issued by a land surveyor, is required for new
construction and substantial improvements.
Copies of all elevation certificates should be sent to David Smith,
Jekyll Island Fire Department, 200 Stable Rd., Jekyll Island, Ga. 31527.
NATURAL
AND BENEFICIAL FUNCTIONS: Jekyll Island is a beautiful place in which
to live, and the areas within or near our floodplain are an important asset.
The undisturbed wetlands provide a wide range of benefits to the human and
natural systems. Water quality is improved through the wetlands ability to
filter nutrients and impurities from runoff and process organic wastes. These
areas provide breeding and feeding grounds for fish and wildlife, create and
enhance waterfowl habitat, support a high rate of plant growth, maintain
biodiversity and the integrity of the ecosystem. Floodplains provide green
space for protection of streams from development and the forces of erosion.