City of Montgomery, and Maxwell AFB have a high probability (70 percent)
of experiencing a hurricane, tropical storm, tropical depression, high / strong
wind event annually. It should be noted that Maxwell AFB’s airfield
elevation is approximately 172 feet above mean sea level (MSL). While the
airfield is over 100 feet above MSL, the location combined with other water
bodies and private dams (privately‐owned water bodies, e.g., personal
fishing ponds and lakes) in the area all contribute to flooding events in the
JLUS Study Area.
According to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) National
Inventory of Dams, there are approximately 98 private earth dams in
Montgomery County ranging from various depths and volume capacities.
The USACE’s data did not report any dams in the county that were owned by
local or federal governments. This is important to mention as there are no
regulations established for inspections and maintenance of dams in the
State of Alabama.
Regarding the impact of flooding to Maxwell AFB, the northern perimeter of
Maxwell AFB abuts the banks of the Alabama River, making portions of it
vulnerable to flooding caused by excessive rainfall, increased stormwater
runoff from impervious surfaces, and unsuccessful water infrastructure
management, e.g., maintenance of private earth dams. According to
Maxwell AFB’s Installation Development Plan, approximately 21 percent of
land within the installation is located in the 100‐year floodplain, and
30 percent of undeveloped land on the installation is constrained by
flooding potential. Areas along the eastern perimeter, along the Alabama
River, and portions of the base in the north, south, and west are affected by
flooding. Floods have occasionally inundated portions of the base golf
courses and the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM) range.
Additional costs realized during these events are due to the inundation
incurred by buildings and structures such as the CATM range, which requires
maintenance and cleanup after the flooding events and the restoration of
recreational areas including the base golf courses.
As many military personnel live on‐base, severe flooding can lead to the
evacuation of base housing and inaccessibility t