A single inch of rain flooded the Perdido Estates neighborhood in Escambia County, Florida — an area at the heart of an ongoing Flood Defenders campaign.
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The problem: Poorly maintained stormwater ponds and failed drainage pipes leave water with nowhere to go when it rains. Compounding the problem, floodplains mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) do not include the Perdido Estates neighborhood, meaning many residents do not have flood insurance. However, even small rain events can make county roads in the neighborhood impassible.
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What happened: Shortly after Lead Flood Defenders Chuck Gardner, Tim Rudd, and Ken Peer set up a campaign to improve flood protection for Perdido Estates, a storm that dropped only one inch of rain flooded the area.
The campaign: Gardner, Rudd, and Peer want the county to address flooding in their homes from big storms as well as flooding in their streets from small storms. Their campaign outlines a 3-step solution for the County:
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Assume ownership of private stormwater ponds and drainage easements.
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Bring stormwater ponds into compliance with maintenance standards.
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Replace failed stormwater pipes at the east end of the neighborhood.
The big picture: Escambia’s flood problem continues to get worse and impact residents both inside and outside of the Perdido Estates neighborhood. County commissioners need to address the issues with improved stormwater ponds and pipes throughout Escambia.
Take action: The Perdido Estates Flood Defenders and Flood Defenders’ Technical Advisor Chris Curb want the county to take over and improve the flood infrastructure already in place to lessen the impact of flooding on this neighborhood. Join them and other Flood Defenders by requesting action from Commissioner Doug Underhill.