NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Newport News resident Eric Jackson knows how bad flooding can get in the city.
“As soon as it rains, you can’t even get off the sidewalk," Jackson said. "I mean everything gets flooded.”
It’s a problem Jackson's seen all his life and he even has some ideas he wants city leaders to consider.
“I kind of wish they’d do something with the drainage," Jackson said. "It would be nice to have the water to run off somewhere quickly.”
That’s the kind of advice city officials are looking for as they work to put their stormwater master plan into action. The plan is divided into three areas – stormwater, floodplain management and climate change and resilience.
Kathie Angle, the acting chief of civil design for Newport News' engineering department, said this city is working on this project over a three-year period. She said her team has recently been working in the preliminary stage.
“We’re looking into sea level rise and what are the effects going to be in the next 30, 40, 50 years,” Angle said.
Angle said the city received $4.9 million in grant funding from the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund for this effort. She said it covers 90% of the project cost, while the city will match 10%.
She said they’re evaluating how to keep storm drains in good condition, lower the impact of storm damage and adjust to sea level rise. Angle is also interested in what programs city officials can provide to help residents.
"There's like 98 different tasks in this, Angle said. "So, it's a very comprehensive effort. We're also having environmental justice program developed for helping us when it comes to decision-making on projects or programs or plans so that we're looking at the big picture."
As they embark on this plan, they want to hear from citizens in a series of public meetings happening this week:
- Tuesday, July 18, 6-7:30 pm - Brittingham-Midtown Community Center, Room 104, 570 McLawhorne Drive
- Wednesday, July 19, 6-7:30 pm - Denbigh Community Center, 15198 Warwick Boulevard
- Thursday, July 20, 6-7:30 pm - Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center, Marion Poe Meeting Room, 2410 Wickham Avenue
Registration to attend any of the public meetings is not required but strongly encouraged. You can register here.
“We’re trying to kind of get a very comprehensive look of what we can put our money towards,” Angle said.
Jackson hopes the stormwater plan will prioritize vulnerable communities living in areas impacted by flooding the most.
“We got a lot of seniors and they can’t get out when it gets flooded," he said. "So if they can concentrate on those areas before all the new development, that would be real nice.”