Use the table to answer the question.

Question

A town is considering adopting a flood mitigation strategy. The results of its study are shown in the table below.

Criteria Building Flood Diversion Channels Elevating Buildings in the Flood Plain
Time required 3 years 5 years
Initial cost $20 million $55 million
Annual maintenance costs $10,000 $1,000
Number of residents displaced 250 40
Which of the following statements provides the best analysis of the data?

(1 point)
Responses

The town should elevate buildings in the flood plain because the work will be completed sooner.
The town should elevate buildings in the flood plain because the work will be completed sooner.

The town should build the diversion channels because this option is more cost efficient.
The town should build the diversion channels because this option is more cost efficient.

The town should elevate buildings in the flood plain because the maintenance costs are lower.
The town should elevate buildings in the flood plain because the maintenance costs are lower.

The town should build the diversion channels because this option will displace fewer people.
The town should build the diversion channels because this option will displace fewer people.
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Answer 1

To analyze the data provided in the table, we can summarize and compare the two flood mitigation strategies based on four criteria: time required, initial cost, annual maintenance costs, and number of residents displaced.

1. Time Required: Building flood diversion channels takes 3 years, while elevating buildings takes 5 years. If time of completion is the priority, the diversion channels are preferable.

2. Initial Cost: Flood diversion channels have an initial cost of $20 million, whereas elevating buildings has an initial cost of $55 million. The diversion channels are significantly cheaper in this regard.

3. Annual Maintenance Costs: The maintenance costs for flood diversion channels are $10,000 per year, while for elevating buildings, it is $1,000 per year. In terms of annual maintenance, elevating buildings is more cost-effective.

4. Number of Residents Displaced: The diversion channels will displace 250 residents, while elevating buildings will displace only 40 residents. Thus, elevating buildings is the better option in terms of minimizing displacement.

Considering all these points, the best statement for the analysis would be:

The town should build the diversion channels because this option will displace fewer people.

While the statement is accurate, it’s important to note that building the diversion channels also has benefits in terms of lower initial costs and a shorter time frame. However, the statement that focuses on displacing fewer people stands out as a significant factor in community considerations.