(March 24, 2011) - A High Water Mark Sign commemorating Montgomery's flood of record was unveiled during a ceremony at the Montgomery Riverfront on March 11. According to National Weather Service records dating back to 1890, the highest flood level recorded at Montgomery during this period occurred on Feb. 26, 1961, when the river crested at 58.1 feet (23 feet, one inch above flood stage).

To help raise awareness of flood risk, the National Weather Service began installing High Water Mark Signs in prominent locations within communities that have experienced severe flooding.

Since 2006, local forecast offices have been coordinating with emergency management and other local officials to select the best locations for the signs. The U.S. Geological Survey is involved as well, providing historical data and aiding with the surveying of high water mark signs in their districts.

"Severe flooding has been a part of Montgomery's history through the years," said Jim Stefkovich, meteorologist-in-charge of the National Weather Service forecast office in Birmingham. "Despite this reality, some residents may not be fully aware of the flood potential in their area. The High Water Mark Sign is a tool to remind and educate people about the flood risk they face at times from the Alabama River." Some Flood Facts and History for the Alabama River at Montgomery

• Since 1960, flood stage has been reached or exceeded 42 times
• The river has exceeded 50 feet 14 times
• The river has exceeded 55 feet 4 times
• Peak time for flooding is normally late winter or spring, but can occur any time of the year
• The 1961 flood of record followed several days of heavy rain in which portions of the Alabama River Basin received as much as 16 to 18 inches of rain. The river was in flood for 17 days.

The Montgomery ceremony was one of numerous events throughout the country that helped kick off national Flood Safety Awareness Week (March 14-18). Flooding is a coast-to- coast threat to the United States and its territories in all months of the year.

National Flood Safety Awareness Week is intended to highlight some of the many ways floods can occur, the hazards associated with floods, and what citizens can do to save life and property.

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