U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will help Crisfield mitigate flooding issues

CRISFIELD, Md. – Crisfield is voted one of the safest cities in America. Unfortunately, flooding issues have been ongoing for the city the last several years.

Now, officials are looking at ways to resolve the stormwater drainage and coastal flooding. They plan to do this with the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The group launched field surveys for a Crisfield stormwater flood improvement plan. The project is federally funded and was at the request of the City of Crisfield.
State Senator Mary Beth Carozza represents Somerset County and Crisfield. She told WMDT this is a positive step in the right direction.

“We know that for years and years, and decades and decades, flooding has been a challenge in Crisfield. It’s encouraging that we have all our partners working together.”

Karl Kerr works for the Army Corps agency. He explained what field surveys mean to the area.

“Specifically for Crisfield, we are looking at stormwater flooding issues that they are having. We are looking at the stormwater system and modeling that system to create conceptual improvement measures.”

Senator Carozza calls this a win, because now not only is the USACE stepping in but also FEMA’s ‘Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities.’ That project will focus on Crisfield’s north and south side.

“The significance of having the Army Corps of Engineers coming in and doing these field surveys, is absolutely essential.”

The surveys began back in August, and the engineers will collect critical data on the city’s stormwater infrastructure. That will involve pipes, inlets, and manholes. Locations, elevations, and conditions of about 500 stormwater structures will be documented by the team.

Kerr adds that the team is dedicated to figuring out the flooding problem in the city and collaborating with other federal agencies.

“We are committed to helping the community with our expertise, in order to complement extensive work that they are already undertaking to make the region more sustainable for future generations.”

For Senator Carozza, the question is simple. “What are our options for preventing this type of flooding in the future?

The field survey phase will continue over the coming weeks, with modeling, analysis, and plan development to follow.

For more information, Crisfield residents can visit here.