PITTSVILLE – Obstructed ditches, neglected waterways and increased rainfall were among the issues aired at a meeting on drainage in Wicomico County last week.
Last Thursday, Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver and the Wicomico County Department of Public Works hosted the first of four public meetings to discuss drainage issues plaguing residents throughout the county.
Public Works Director Dallas Baker attributed the county’s drainage issues to recent flooding. Last August, for example, the county received more than nine inches of rain in certain areas over the course of a week.
“The majority of the issues we’ve been experiencing stem from the last two years of heavy rainfall,” he said. “This past Aug. 7 we had about 3.5 inches of rain and that was when we had the tornado come through Salisbury. A few days after that, on Aug. 11, we had anywhere from 6 to 8 inches of rain over a period of six hours.”
Baker said the Aug. 11 storm damaged 14 roads, including two washouts on American Legion Road and Pratt Road.
“Our systems are generally sized to handle a 10-year storm,” he said. “In cases like these most of the drainage systems are capable of handling it. It’s my understanding what we saw in August was equivalent to a 500-year storm.”
In an attempt to resolve existing drainage issues and bolster the county’s stormwater system, officials have scheduled a series of public meetings to identify where in Wicomico drainage problems occur.
“The county leadership asked us to investigate what we can do to fix this,” Baker said. “What we are doing is taking the three-E approach – education, engineering and enforcement.”
In addition to drainage studies and potential enforcement tactics, Baker said officials are looking to educate the public on ways to maintain ditches and prevent flooding near their property.
“We are trying to disseminate information and resources that will help people to help themselves with some of these issues,” he said.
Last week’s meeting in Pittsville gave residents in east Wicomico County the chance to address drainage concerns.
While many argued cluttered and misdirected ditches and culverts were to blame for recent flooding in the area, others pointed to issues along the Pocomoke River, where the area’s stormwater drains.
Willards Council President Steve Warren said debris along the river is contributing to drainage issues in town.
“Our entire town depends on Burnt Mill Branch for drainage,” he said. “When it backs up the whole town floods. That water goes to the Pocomoke River, which hasn’t been maintained since World War II as far as I know. I can go to any of these crossings, Purnell Crossing or Massey Crossing, look down that river and it’s nothing but tree after tree across the river.”
County Councilman Joe Holloway assured those in attendance the county would take every effort to address their concerns.
“I applaud these guys for wanting to help,” he said. “Whether we can solve these problems, I don’t know. But I assure you the county is working on it.”
Officials are encouraging Wicomico residents to attend one of the scheduled meetings or contact the Wicomico County Department of Public Works to share their concerns. Comments will be used to create a map of where drainage issues occur, which will help county officials to develop solutions.
“We recognize this is a large task. That is why we are here. We’re obligated,” County Council President John Cannon said. “I don’t care if we get a 20-percent improvement or a 30-percent improvement. We have to start somewhere.”
