Storm Event Flooding

The City of Delray Beach experiences Tidal flooding on its streets more than a dozen times a year. Whether it’s due to a higher High tide, like a King Tide event or whether it’s a storm off the Atlantic that pushes more water than normal into the Intracoastal Waterway during a high tide, several of Delray’s streets and right of ways become inundated during that high tide cycle. Tides only stay high for 3 hours at a time. The problem with tidal waters on the streets and grassed areas is the salt content in the water. It does damage to vegetation within the City’s right of way or private yards. Over time the water will damage the sub base of the City’s roadways.

Stormwater Master Plan Update

The City of Delray Beach has evaluated their stormwater infrastructure and they are currently in the process of upgrading existing stormwater systems. The stormwater master plan identifies locations where climate change is affecting existing systems. These areas of impact include saltwater intrusion in the groundwater that directly effects wellfields; failing stormwater systems that are in need of rehabilitation or removal and reconstruction; and existing systems that are impacted by coastal flooding.

Restoring and Adding Infrastructures

Stormwater Pump Station Rehabilitation

Climate change is increasing storm frequency and intensity, as well as rising tides. The stormwater pump stations that are currently in use are not capable of dealing with the increase in stormwater, the pump stations are being rehabilitated to increase the capacity, or amount of stormwater it can convey..

Beach Re-nourishment

With climate change comes higher tides and stronger hurricanes. As a result, Delray Beach’s coastline is changing due to erosion and displacement. One of the programs the City of Delray Beach currently has in action is the Delray Beach Re-nourishment Plan. The City is working with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to dredge sand from the ocean and place it back on the beach.

Additional Infrastructure

Some quick and cost-effective infrastructure improvements the City of Delray Beach are using is installing duck bills to existing outfalls which eliminates backflow into the stormwater system during a high tide or a King Tide event, retro fitting in-line check valves to existing drainage systems to prevent the backflow of flood waters into stormwater systems, raising the seawall along waterways to prevent high tides or king tides to overflow into roadways and properties