Record Coastal Flooding Event for Crisfield, Cambridge, & Bishops Head

Salisbury, Md – It was a scary Friday, October 29th for a lot of people on Delmarva. Roadways turned to waterways in several areas this past Friday and Saturday. Some residents of Crisfield could only travel by canoe or jet ski, while others had to evacuate their homes.

Roads in Cambridge were closed as the Choptank River overflowed its banks. Parts of Fenwick Island were under water prompting DelDOT to shut down a portion of Route 1 for hours. Salisbury had flooding in several spots too, including right here on E. Main Street in front of Mojos, and on E. Market Street.

Cambridge, Bishops Head, and Crisfield, Maryland all had their highest observed water levels in years. It was the highest in Crisfield since Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the highest in Cambridge since Hurricane Isabel in 2003. According to the National Weather Service, this was the worst flood on record for Bishops Head, and the second worst for Crisfield.

This recent coastal flooding event isn’t unusual for our area, but it’s a reminder that we are vulnerable here on the peninsula, and that it doesn’t have to be a hurricane to cause this type of flooding. However, most of our severe coastal flooding does come from tropical systems, and with the frequency of tropical systems increasing, we should expect more floods, more often in the future. We need to remain vigilant and be prepared for what the next storm may bring.