SOUTH POINT — The Lawrence Soil and Water Conservation District, in cooperation with Ohio University Southern, will host a workshop on flood hazard awareness May 3 at the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, 216 Collins Ave. South Point.

It will begin at 8:30 a.m. with registration. At 9:00 a.m., there will be classroom-type presentations on topics including the National Flood Insurance Program, benefits of flood plains, flood insurance rate maps, flood insurance study and flood plain management regulations.

Alicia Silverio, CFM, senior environmental specialist with Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Division of Soil and Water Resources will assist in the instruction. Various handouts and pamphlets will be provided as resource materials. After a lunch provided at the facility, the workshop will continue with field visits to various flood prone areas in the county to see what is being done to alleviate the hazard. The workshop will conclude at 4 p.m.

The workshop is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to RSVP no later than May 1 to the soil and water office at 740-867-4737 or by email to cyanikolawswcd@zoominternet.net.

Lawrence County unincorporated areas participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and is therefore required to have flood plain management regulations. These regulations govern any activity that takes place in a designated special flood hazard area. The purpose of this workshop is to help the residents, landowners, and businesses in Lawrence County understand these regulations and how important they are in keeping people and property relatively safe from the effects of flooding.

Those with questions regarding the workshop or floodplain management issues, call Carrie Yaniko at 740-867-4737.