The biggest flood to hit the Central Valley since California was settled by Europeans saw some towns 30 feet deep in flood waters. Others disappeared: Knight's Ferry, now just a dot on the map, was essentially washed away.
It was the flood of 1862. Were it to happen today, it would be dubbed an “ARkStorm” for the atmospheric rivers of rain and snow that would inundate the region.
“The harsh realities are that all 50 states have experienced a flood or flash flood event in the last five years,” says Michael Brown, vice president of commercial property at Golden Bear Insurance Company in Stockton.
But it’s more likely a business will suffer water damage from more mundane events, such as the fire sprinklers going off or a burst pipe in an upper floor.
(Michael Brown talks about Central Valley flood risks and how businesses can prepare for the events in today’s exclusive CVBT Audio Interview via Skype. Please click on the link below to listen now or to download the MP3 audio file for later listening.)
In light of recent Hurricane Seymour, which brought heavy rain and some flooding to parts of Northern California and the Central Valley, homeowners and small businesses should be more aware of the benefits of flood preparedness, Mr. Brown says.
Can’t happen to me? The National Flood Insurance Program reports that more than 20 percent of flood claims received every year are for properties located outside of the 1-in-500 year and 1-in-100 year flood zones.
< Back