Curtis Basnett tested the softness of the ground near the Augusta Canal on Thursday. City officials are looking for answers to the floods. TODD BENNETT/STAFF

Answer to floods sought

Officials look for ways to prevent future water damage while blaming development for mess left by recent rains

Web posted June 23, 2000

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By Heidi Coryell
Staff Writer

Damage from Tuesday's heavy rains still was being assessed Thursday, as city officials sur-veyed affected areas in an effort to better understand why flash floods hit some parts of Augusta harder than others.

Although some flood-induced problems, such as the Augusta Canal levee, could be traced to a fluke accident, in most cases floodwaters are a recurring problem.

An unfinished sewer main being run through the Augusta levee began to seep water onto downtown streets Tuesday night as rising canal waters caused pressure to build up around the uncapped line. The sewer line project, which was scheduled for completion sometime this fall, likely will be delayed a few weeks, engineers said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Bob Young on Thursday asked the special grand jury to investigate city government practices surrounding development in floodplains. In a news release, the mayor blamed floodwaters in at least one residential neighborhood on a new commercial development.

Mr. Young said he believes the Augusta Exchange shopping center has contributed to drainage problems in the Rae's Creek basin, causing extensive flooding on Chelsea Drive.

Augusta strengthened its flood ordinance after floods in 1990 severely damaged several sections of the city, said George Patty, executive director of the planning and zoning commission.

Federal guidelines permit development along the fringe of some floodplains, but in Augusta such development is prohibited, he said.

Workers attempt to repair damage caused by the heavy rainfall Tuesday night at a trench near the Augusta Canal. The rain caused flooding through parts of the city. TODD BENNETT/STAFF

``We did some things that, as far as I know, made us one of the best out there as far as protecting the community from flooding,'' Mr. Patty said. ``The problem is, there's been a lot of development that occurred prior to the ordinance.''

All development also must include retention systems that ensure the site retains and releases water at the same rate it did before development.

The newest shopping centers have the most modern retaining systems, Mr. Patty said. The Augusta Exchange center, for example, incorporates several systems of pipes that disperse water in multiple directions, he said.

Risks still exist, however.

``In reality, when you develop property, instead of the water flowing off in all directions you have a single release point or two,'' Mr. Patty said. ``Development does have a risk, but we do - and have since the mid-1970s - require retention.''

The mayor also has asked the Emergency Management Agency to examine its response to flooding reports, because some residents complained of slow or delayed responses to 911 calls.

After several phone call complaints to his home at about 11 p.m. Tuesday, Mr. Young drove to some of the area's flooded neighborhoods.

``In some of the stops I made, where there was water rushing across the road, there was no city presence at all,'' Mr. Young said. ``In a time of crisis, people need to see someone from the local government there. It offers a level of comfort and reassurance.''

EMA Director Dave Dlugolenski said that although floodwaters did not cause what officials would consider a large-scale disaster, documenting all the damage is the first step toward eventual federal relief. Federal and local funds earlier this month were made available to purchase eight homes repeatedly damaged by floodwaters.

About 150 to 200 homes have reported damage from Tuesday's heavy rains, Mr. Dlugolenski said. No property damage estimates are yet available.

Although no injuries were reported as a result of the rising waters, one Dominion Way homeowner said her neighbor's week-old child had to be floated to safety in a cooler after rising waters threatened the family's safety.

``We're talking about life-threatening situations,'' said Connie Coursey, who owns a rental home in the subdivision. ``That neighborhood is not safe anymore.''

Reach Heidi Coryell at (706) 823-3215.