This past Tuesday January 9th South Charlotte saw 3.43 inches of rain in about 12 hours. The results were troubling. 

For a City that is not located on the ocean or the banks of a large river we sure have a lot of flooding. But why?

Believe it or not, Charlotte normally receives more rain than Seattle which averages around 38 inches annually. The difference is, in Seattle it comes at a slow nearly constant drip and in the Queen City it often comes in random downpours.

Which is why future development needs to be carefully thought-out and why more and denser housing is not always a good idea.

During the last two decades Charlotte’s population and impervious surface areas have expanded dramatically. This has created flood zones and areas prone to flooding that did not exist years ago.

When developers are allowed to clear cut trees and re-engineer the topography without regard for the surrounding property, we end up with stunning changes in stormwater flow.

The above photo by Mr. Garland Green shows flood waters covering Elm Lane and flowing off the Gillespie Property. Thankfully the forest currently on the property absorbed much of the rainfall, still the amount of stormwater runoff overwhelmed Elm Lane.

If the Rea Road Gillespie project, is approved the developer will remove 70% of the native forest and replace it with 37 acres of mostly impervious surface creating about 1 million gallons of run off every time it rains 1 inch. 

It is not just about the flooding and the water; it is about what is in the water (chemicals; petroleum products, pesticides, wastewater) and most importantly where it ends up. More than half the Gillespie property drains to the southwest and directly into the area known as “Pooh’s Corner”.  This small area is a pristine natural wetland that is home to endless varieties of wildlife.

Replacing the forested property with a massive apartment complex will destroy the fragile balance of nature's wetland habitat.

In the past developers could build whatever and wherever they liked with little concern about the consequences. Now as the city grows internally, leaders, and developers need to be aware that their density saturation and infill development policies create tremendous strains on our environment and infrastructure; and sometimes, just saying NO is the best choice!

You can see more photos of the recent flooding around the Rea Road Gillespie Property here.