VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — We now know some strategies the city of Daytona Beach is considering to help address flooding issues in Midtown.
This comes after the federal government told the city it couldn’t find any cost-effective options for the area.
Two of the solutions involve the Nova Canal.
Finding a long-term plan to keep people from flooding in one of Daytona Beach’s poorest areas has been a struggle for the city for decades. Midtown is shaped like a bowl and collects significant amounts of water during storms.
Some homes have flooded five times in the past four years alone.
“It was very traumatic, honestly. The fire truck had to come get us and we’re carrying our dogs and anything we could take with us. That’s just not a good time. Like we had to literally be displaced for like a whole year,” said Midtown Resident, Ke’aira.
The US Army Corps of Engineers has been studying the neighborhood for two years and has found that the Nova Canal doesn’t meet federal engineering standards. Engineers also said any potential fixes are too costly and that the best option would be to tear down homes and turn the area into a dam.
The city of Daytona Beach is now working on its own solutions. Consultants are in the process of modeling scenarios that include connecting pipes and flood gates directly to the canal to control water flow.
Another option the city is studying would use the city-owned golf course to store floodwater.
“I mean, I am here for whatever works. That sounds a little crazy but I am here for whatever works,” said Ke’aira.
If Daytona Beach decides to go with these options, other cities may also have to get involved because the canal is 7 miles long and runs through three Volusia County cities.
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