22 Aug Stormwater Update
Last week I spent the better part of the day walking storm water ditches in Mossy Oaks/Royal Oaks, sometimes with neighbors who explained how the block or blocks around them were impacted by the heavy rains.
I am no engineer but it does not take a rocket scientist to realize that stormwater running all the way from Mossy Oaks Road through the neighborhood to First Boulevard and then through the duck pond to Battery Creek has no clear path because some of the pipes, ditches and culverts are clogged but more importantly more homes were built than the system was created to carry and the pipes are too small. Consequently during a heavy storm the waters runs wherever it can find its way, be it in the street or through yards. It is also clear that when many of the homes were built, there was no flood elevation requirement and some homes were built in low spots where today they would be required to be raised.
City, State and County engineers are preparing a presentation for a meeting called by Rep Shannon Erickson for mid September. The Secretary of the State Department of Transportation, our Legislative Delegation, members of Beaufort County Council and the City Council will meet to seek solutions.
Meanwhile the City has applied for two grants, one from the state and the other from Washington. The state grant would focus on improvements to and around the pond. The federal grant would focus on drainage to the pond and mitigation from waters coming into the stormwater system compounding the problem. The +/- $350,000, should the grants be awarded, is but a very small part of what will be required but would at least help us get started.
I will keep you posted.