Ozan Duran for Chesapeake
Issue Page

Flooding and drainage

Rank drainage work by age, severity, repeated flooding, emergency access, and whether the neighborhood has waited for decades.

Where this shows up

  • South Norfolk: Oakdale/Cloverdale, Chesapeake Avenue, Quincy, Portlock, low-lying older streets.
  • Indian River: Norfolk Highlands drainage and Indian River watershed work.
  • Rivercrest: Elizabeth River edge, Oak Grove/Welch Lane, industrial waterfront.
  • Western Branch: Pughsville/John Street, Drum Point Creek, Bailey Creek/Sterns Creek context.
  • Deep Creek: Elmwood Landing, Scenic Boulevard, Deep Creek watershed.
  • Greenbrier: Greenbrier Outfall, Indian River High School lake, South Military/I-64 culverts.
  • Southern/Grassfield: Buskey, Carawan, rural ditches, new-development runoff.

What the city should do

  • Publish a public drainage priority list with age, severity, flood frequency, and equity factors.
  • Clean ditches and storm drains on a public schedule.
  • Require watershed-scale analysis for large developments.
  • Fix older repeated-problem neighborhoods before lower-need projects.