The chances of rain this week are much lower than the last when Greenville received ~4 inches of rain causing flash flooding, especially in areas around the Reedy River.
City engineers say there will always be times when a river exceeds its banks, because that’s what rivers do, but it’s about how leaders and engineers can plan ahead to minimize damage:
- The city built Unity Park in a floodplain because parks recover quickly after taking on water, unlike buildings and other properties.
- Along the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail, engineers designed river benches to give the water a place to go in weather events that cause the river to rise, protecting businesses at The Commons.
- From Unity Park’s electrical systems to the soil mixture to the furniture and structures to the plants and trees, park designers made design choices that withstand the rising Reedy River.