1. Other Hazards Important in Cinti
Flooding
Erosion
Environmental Contamination

2. When a homesite is too good to be true
Flood Hazards
When a homesite is too good to be true

3. A Home by the River. Enjoy quiet country living in California, Ohio, with the river at your doorstep. Watch the river traffic go by from your back deck. This one-level frame house provides 2,000 square feet of comfortable living space. Asking $85,000. Call Patrick at Floodplain Properties for a showing.

5. Cincinnati flooded 1997

6. Falmouth KY 1997

7. Newport Levee 1997

8. Covington 1997

9. Covington 1937

10. Spring Grove Ave 1937

13. Flood Frequency – the Science
T = (N + 1) / M
where T is the recurrence interval in years, N is the number of years of record, and M is the rank of the event of interest. 
T is also 1/P, where P is the probability, in percent, that an event of a particular size will occur in the next year. 

15. Flood Frequency – FEMA Application

16. CAGIS sample flood map (http://hamilton-co. org/pubworks/Narative_GIS

17. Flood Resources Sandra Ashba, Flood Plain Manager
Sandra Ashba, Flood Plain Manager
Unincorporated Hamilton County or
Ed Weber, Storm Water Drainage System Division
Dick Regan, City of Cincinnati
Storm Water Management

18. Is the prospective property likely to lose ground?
Erosion
Is the prospective property likely to lose ground?

22. A few simple precautions can save enormous headaches later
Check the flood insurance maps
Ask the neighbors
Look for signs of stream bank erosion

23. Environmental Hazards
Radon
Water Supplies
Lead in Soils

24. Radon is a natural component of soils and is highly variable from region to region and house to house

25. Actions to Take Each house needs to be tested separately
Remediation is inexpensive and effective
Better to lose a sale than be accused of disguising a problem

26. Drinking Water Problems
Copper (Cu) in new construction
Lead (Pb) in old construction

27. Hamilton Co. water comes from 2 sources: Miller & Bolton. Butler Co
Hamilton Co. water comes from 2 sources: Miller & Bolton. Butler Co. gets some water from Mason.

28. Source: CWW reports

29. About Lead and Your Drinking Water
There is no detectable lead in our drinking water as it leaves the treatment plants. It is possible that lead levels in your home may be high because of your home's pipes and plumbing fixtures. Infants and young children are more vulnerable to lead in drinking water. If you are concerned about high lead levels, have your water tested at no charge by Greater Cincinnati Water Works by calling
Flushing your tap for up to two minutes before using the water and using only cold water for cooking are also helpful.

30. The major route of lead poisoning is actually soil and paint
Roadside soils have high Pb
Soils around older homes tend to have high Pb
Dust on window sills can be very high in Pb

31. Roadside soils (and those near houses with Pb paint) can have dangerous levels of Pb at the surface.

32. What to do?
As a developer, soil testing for Pb is cheap and can save major headaches later.
As a homeowner with small children, it can be a lifesaver.
The cost of environmental inspection is not trivial, but is very small in proportion to the risk.

33. A question for the audience
What role does the real estate agent have in helping the client recognize hazards?