ROANOKE, Va. – Forty years ago, on November 4, 1985, a flood devastated the Roanoke Valley. The remnants of Hurricane Juan dumped more than six inches of rain in just 24 hours, causing the Roanoke River to rise nearly 20 feet and crest at a record 23.35 feet. Ten people lost their lives in the Flood of 1985, and thousands of homes and businesses were damaged.
City leaders say those lessons changed how Roanoke prepares for future disasters, leading to stronger flood control efforts.
“A positive impact of the flood is it has allowed us to work with property owners to help them reduce their flood risk by being able to buy their property and let them move somewhere else,” said Ian Shaw, stormwater manager for the City of Roanoke. “It lets us then create this open space that makes our communities, overall, more flood resilient.”
The City of Roanoke continues to invest in flood prevention, saying lessons from 1985 are helping protect families today.
The disaster also led to better emergency planning and the creation of a swift water rescue team trained to respond when flooding happens again.
“I think what we’ve seen is that people really came together for their neighbors and their community and really were super helpful in getting everything back up and running very quickly,” said Gwyneth Martin, environmental specialist with the city’s stormwater utility division.
Officials urge everyone to stay prepared—know your flood risk, have a plan, pay attention to weather alerts, and never drive through high water.