Currently organization is underway to implement an installation art project depicting the physical influence that the one hundred year flood event has on the urban landscape.
While “Flood Insurance Rate Maps” (FIRMs) are a standard measure of flood influences in the region, these forces can be difficult to understand in the physical landscape. This project will use the occurrence of debris lines associated with subsiding flood waters to create a visual landscape reference. When flooding occurs, debris whether organic or manmade trash, is suspended in floodwaters and moved through the watershed. When waters slow, and as energies dissipate, these particles settle out onto adjacent banks creating a consistent line of deposition. The project goal is to collect some of the ever increasing trash that is finding its way into the bayous and temporarily string it at the 100 year flood elevation along significant stream bank corridors. Results will demonstrate the accumulation of trash occurring within the bayou system as well as the significant effect that a 1% flood occurrence could have on neighborhood roads, dwellings, businesses, and parks. We are currently planning an event schedule, project logistics, and looking for potential partners. More details will be posted soon, any additional thoughts are most welcome!
