Heavy Rainfall Events and Their Impacts in Appalachian History

The Southeast Floods of 1916 in North Carolina; Public domain image provided by NOAA

Please welcome guest author Amanda Winstead . Winstead is a writer from the Portland, OR area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Growing up, she spent summers in Maryland with her grandparents, walking sections of the Appalachian Trail or visiting historical sites in the area. More recently, she hiked the trail in full for the first time and fell absolutely in love, especially with its rich history. She was especially taken by the trail’s natural history and the way it links together the American story, from the site of George Washington’s inoculation of troops against smallpox to the last battlegrounds of Shay’s Rebellion. If you want to follow her writing journey you can find her on X (Twitter.)

Throughout Appalachia’s long and storied history, there have been more than a few major rainfall and flooding events. Both the climate and topography of the area lend themselves to flash flooding events, as evidenced by the steep terrain and tracked weather patterns. For many, occasional epic quantities of water are part of an accepted risk to living in these parts. But, dangerous realities have played a major role in shaping the many towns and the countryside today. 

Of course, as the climate continues to change across the globe, some of the biggest storms are only predicted to get bigger. This means that many of the flood and storm stories that have shaped the history of the area have the potential to repeat themselves on a larger scale. Educating the public and taking steps to help people prepare for major storms is going to continue to be a critical component of creating a safe environment. 

Destruction in the wake of a flood, public domain image created by Tennessee Valley Authority, 1936

A History of Big Storms

For about as long as weather patterns have been documented in Appalachia, big storms have been tracked as well. Big storms have been known to come seemingly out of nowhere and pummel the area with water in less than a 24-hour period.  The mountainous terrain of the area lends itself to flash flooding events, which can change people’s lives in an instant. 

Excerpts from flooding events as far back as the 1920s and 30s paint desperate pictures, much the same way they do today. For example, one article headline, They Watched a House Float Down the River with a Rooster on the Rooftop, details the Emory River flooding in Oakdale, TN in 1929. The event completely wiped out the railroad tracks and a handful of homes and businesses along Main Street. While residents waited for help to rebuild, many stayed at a local church and scraped by until the Red Cross arrived to help rebuild homes.   

1929 Elba, Alabama floods. Public domain image provided by U.S. Army

Another outlines a series of 1924 storms that put down nearly over 4 feet of snowfall in Maryland, which all melted rapidly less than a month later, flooding nearby towns. Reports indicate that items as big as cars were floating down the river and at least one family of five drowned. Several local businesses including Luke Mill, West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, and the American Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Company were all impacted by the flooding and experienced delays and financial difficulties because of it. 

A number of notable tropical storms hit southern Appalachia in the mid-1900s, which again put down significant amounts of rainfall and caused severe flooding as well as significant damage to the livelihoods of the people living in the areas. Some of these storms include Tropical Storm Isbell (1964) and Tropical Storm Edith (1971) which put down up to 10 inches and 12 inches of rainfall in less than a 24-hour period, respectively.  

National Guard airlift during the July 2022 Kentucky Floods 

More recently, the Central Appalachia Floods of 2022 caused a lot of devastation in Appalachian communities, particularly in Kentucky. A combination of factors led to the intense flooding including over 8 inches of rain in a 12-hour period. Over the course of the flooding, nearly 100 bridges were damaged or destroyed and hundreds of major and minor roads were rendered impassable. Local response teams estimated that nearly 10,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and in need of repair and that 43 people had died as a result of the flood event. 

Recovering from these events is never easy and many of us are witnessing history in real time as communities recover from the 2022 floods. Thousands are still displaced and slowly working to rebuild their homes and lives. Local historical organizations, including those such as the Appalshop, were completely underwater and are now working to save thousands of archival documents and artifacts on Appalachian history that were damaged by the flood. 

There are certain things that people can do to their homes to help prepare for these types of conditions. They include a number of home upgrades such as reinforcing the plumbing and electrical systems within the home. Installing a flood-proof septic system and a sump pump for instance can make a big difference when it comes to removing water and managing waste. 

Likewise, small upgrades to the electrical system such as weatherproof electrical boxes and GFCI outlets that automatically cut off power when they detect a change in current flow can be critical to preventing major damage and safety issues during a flood event. 

The Role of a Changing Climate

Nearly all experts agree at this point that climate change is playing a role today in making floods and other natural disasters more intense than they might otherwise be. In the Central Appalachia Flood events of 2022, researchers indicated that flooding was spurred on at least in part by anthropogenic activities. One climate assessment suggests that storms in the last decade or so are 20-40% more likely in places like eastern Kentucky than they were 100 years ago. 

Other research also points to larger storms in more recent years. Nine out of ten extreme one-day precipitation events in the United States have occurred since 1996. Not only that, but the number of one-day precip events has also increased when compared to a 70-year period between 1910 and 1980. Numerous predictions across the United States indicate that as climate continues to warm, precipitation events become more variable throughout the year, making for a lot more large, unpredictable storms. 

National Guard assisting during Kentucky flooding

Preparing for the Next Big One

Of course, this means that many people living in flash flood-prone areas will need to take extra precautions to remain safe during storms no matter where they are. During severe storms, drivers should move slower than normal and increase their following distance. In flood conditions, it is important to head for high ground. Grab important documents if possible and make sure to travel with an emergency kit that includes food, water, and warm clothing. 

Those who are weathering a storm in their home would also do well to follow a few safety precautions. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests that those living in flood-prone areas be sure to keep at least a three-day supply of water at their home. Tap water is not a reliable source in flood situations. Likewise, experts believe people should be prepared with at least a few days worth of non-perishable foods. 

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The climate and topography of the Appalachians make the area particularly prone to occasional flash flood situations. There are numerous events throughout history that point to the devastation and wreckage to communities that these floods have caused. Unfortunately, as the climate continues to change, experts predict that these types of events are not only going to become more and more common, but they are also going to increase in severity. Residents who live in areas that are known to have the potential for flash flooding would do well to take precautions that will help them weather whatever storms Mother Nature throws their way.