Lawmakers secure Oak Orchard flooding funds

By State Representative Ruth Briggs King, State Senator Gerald Hocker, and State Senator Brian Pettyjohn

We are pleased to announce that we have been able to help secure state funding in this year’s Bond Bill to find solutions to the ongoing flooding problems in the Oak Orchard area.

We recently attended a meeting at the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company to listen to residents’ concerns and to let them know that approximately $100,000 will be used to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the problems related to improper drainage, often the result of tidal and storm-related flooding.

DNREC also attended the July 16 meeting and residents from throughout the community were able to express their concerns and share with them information about specific locations and problems that can be used as part of the future survey of the area.

We have been increasingly concerned that there are potential flaws with the permitting and approval processes, and possibly even with the recommended design process, on large-scale development projects. We have often heard from area residents such comments as, “There never had been a problem until the school (or insert the name of a particular development here) was built.” It seems that, over the course of the years and as development occurred, the situation was only made worse, instead of improved.

We are confident that as this Oak Orchard analysis is conducted, DNREC’s continued overall efforts on improving storm water management will include a review of the impact that has been created by new developments’ "recommended plans.” A careful evaluation of the early stages of any project should help prevent future problems and help us remedy the current situation. For the County’s part, it is also our hope that they will review these types of concerns through their approval processes. A coordinated, countywide storm water management effort is critical in moving forward.

Regarding the Oak Orchard project specifically, DNREC officials will take the next weeks to review problem areas in order to determine the exact scope of the work. The expectation, according to the department, is to have the consultant up to speed on the project by early September. DNREC has told us that the first task of the consultant will be to reach out to property owners in the community with a survey. This will then be followed by a public meeting to discuss the survey results with the intention of getting public input about a path forward.

In the meantime, it was also discussed at the July 16 meeting to form sub-groups of community members in order to gain as much input as possible on the problem areas. If you live in the Oak Orchard area and would like to be part of one of these public working groups, please contact one of our offices. We can be reached at [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]. We will be sure to pass along your information to DNREC.

We thank you for your continued patience while the ongoing flooding issues get addressed and we look forward to keeping you updated as this project moves forward.

Rep. Ruth Briggs King, 37th District

Sen. Gerald Hocker, 20th District

Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, 19th District

http://capegazette.villagesoup.com/p/lawmakers-secure-oak-orchard-flooding-funds/1041857

The Indian River Volunteer Fire Company and DNREC officials have toured by foot passage the land and later DNREC via kayak in the water to identify some of the operational issues associated with the storm water and tidewater run-off within these designated areas from Layton Davis Road to Emily’s Gut and north to John J. Williams Highway.

These onsite visits and tours provided valuable information for the various agencies to evaluate, collect and sort through the various issues while attempting to mitigate these concerns.

In the meantime, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company encourages all residents to be vigilant and report any and all improper dumping, filling in of right-of-way passages, easements, and or claiming rights to parcels that are not legally deeded for their respective personal usage.

Additional information may be obtained by viewing the following webpages:

http://www.irvfc.com/gallery.cfm?id=1400

http://www.irvfc.com/gallery.cfm?id=1401

http://www.irvfc.com/gallery.cfm?id=1297

http://www.irvfc.com/gallery.cfm?id=1298

http://www.irvfc.com/gallery.cfm?id=1210

http://www.irvfc.com/gallery.cfm?id=1204

http://www.irvfc.com/gallery.cfm?id=1202

The 147th Delaware General Assembly Bond Bill can be viewed by clicking on the attached link:

http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS147.nsf/abdf4f28b24945b485256ae90061b4c0/794a1d57af9f594885257b880076ee0d?OpenDocument