
It’s a problem many cities, maybe all cities, face at some point, and it’s hitting San Diego in a big way this rainy season. The money it needs to spend to keep its drainage channels clear and prevent flooding exceeds the money that it’s allotted for the task, and remedying that means taking money away from something else.
It’s a problem many cities, maybe all cities, face at some point, and it’s hitting San Diego in a big way this rainy season. The money it needs to spend to keep its drainage channels clear and prevent flooding exceeds the money that it’s allotted for the task, and remedying that means taking money away from something else. [text_ad] The city did plan ahead, as did many other cities and counties in the path of the El Niño storms. Ventura County, for example, held disaster drills in anticipation of floods and mudslides during the heavy storms following months of drought. In San Diego, more than 24,000 storm drains were inspected and cleared out and routine repairs were made as needed. But as this article from the San Diego Union-Tribune reports, the first heavy rains caused several creeks and rivers to overflow in places, flooding streets. Clogged drains—some doubtlessly clogged with new debris that the storms washed in—were reported throughout the city. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddEIv4yHXx4 Major clearing of flood-control channels, which in some cases requires a permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers, is expensive, costing from half a million to a million dollars for some stretches. In San Diego the work started in November and is still ongoing. Officials estimate that solving all the problems and getting the flood control infrastructure in good shape would cost $250 million over the next five years, which is five times more than what the city has planned on spending. Ongoing development—building in floodplains and areas that once contained wetlands—exacerbates the problem. As one infrastructure specialist notes in the article, “If we put all the eggs in the stormwater basket, what are we willing to sacrifice to do that? Do you want the Chargers [the local football team] or do you want to resurface half the roads that need regrading?” A further expense, and a cost of doing too little to control flooding, is that residents who believe flood damage to their property was caused by the city’s failure to maintain the infrastructure can file financial claims. It becomes a “pay now or pay later” situation as the successful claims divert money that could have been spent on preventing further incidents. One option San Diego, along with many other cities, is exploring is more use of green infrastructure to reduce the volume of runoff. How is your city coping with stormwater- and flood-related expenses?The city did plan ahead, as did many other cities and counties in the path of the El Niño storms. Ventura County, for example, held disaster drills in anticipation of floods and mudslides during the heavy storms following months of drought. In San Diego, more than 24,000 storm drains were inspected and cleared out and routine repairs were made as needed. But as this article from the San Diego Union-Tribune reports, the first heavy rains caused several creeks and rivers to overflow in places, flooding streets. Clogged drains—some doubtlessly clogged with new debris that the storms washed in—were reported throughout the city.
Major clearing of flood-control channels, which in some cases requires a permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers, is expensive, costing from half a million to a million dollars for some stretches. In San Diego the work started in November and is still ongoing. Officials estimate that solving all the problems and getting the flood control infrastructure in good shape would cost $250 million over the next five years, which is five times more than what the city has planned on spending. Ongoing development—building in floodplains and areas that once contained wetlands—exacerbates the problem. As one infrastructure specialist notes in the article, “If we put all the eggs in the stormwater basket, what are we willing to sacrifice to do that? Do you want the Chargers [the local football team] or do you want to resurface half the roads that need regrading?”
A further expense, and a cost of doing too little to control flooding, is that residents who believe flood damage to their property was caused by the city’s failure to maintain the infrastructure can file financial claims. It becomes a “pay now or pay later” situation as the successful claims divert money that could have been spent on preventing further incidents.
One option San Diego, along with many other cities, is exploring is more use of green infrastructure to reduce the volume of runoff. How is your city coping with stormwater- and flood-related expenses?Janice Kaspersen
Janice Kaspersen is the former editor of Erosion Control and Stormwater magazines.