ESCAMBIA COUNTY FLOOD RECOVERY1-Year Anniversary Report

Escambia County Board of County CommissionersOffice of Public Information & Communication

221 Palafox PlacePensacola, Florida 32501

• One year after the devastating April 2014 floods hit Escambia County, much has been accomplished in recovery and response efforts. Damage to County infrastructure, parks, facilities and private property was substantial. Prior disaster planning and immediate action of public safety officials, County staff and construction crews resulted in a quick start to the response and recovery effort.

• Work to meet the repair needs of the County is still ongoing, but much has been accomplished. The County is working with several federal agencies that provide reimbursement funding following a declared disaster.

Executive Summary

• In the immediate aftermath of the storm event, County staff sprang into action assessing damages and assisting property owners to start documenting the impacts of the storm.

• The County Roads Division immediately began the repairs to major roadways and flooded areas so that the public and emergency crews could access areas safely. Areas that could not be repaired immediately were barricaded to improve public safety.

Immediate Response Activities & Planning

Grande Lagoon

• The County worked with utility companies to make repairs and adjustments at critical locations. Efforts included both day and night work during the weeks following the storm event.

• County Engineering staff was hit hard with the influx of additional work. Prior to the April Storm, there were 6 engineering project managers managing 101 major design/construction projects for the County. After the storm, additional staff was hired in order to handle the workload.

• Currently, there are 13 engineering project managers managing 231 major and flood-response projects with additional plans for staffing and reorganization ongoing.

Immediate Response Activities & Planning (Cont.)

Gatewood Ditch

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance (FEMA-PA) program provides financial reimbursement for eligible infrastructure damages caused by a declared disaster. There is a multi-step process required by FEMA to properly document eligible infrastructure damages. Although several projects have been completed, the Project Worksheet (PW) writing and review part of the process is ongoing. The PW’s need to be completed and undergo a full review by both the applicant and FEMA prior to grant funding assistance. Generally, FEMA pays a minimum of 75 percent of eligible infrastructure repair costs. The remaining costs are spilt between the State Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and Escambia County.

• The Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief Program (FHWA-ER) provides financial reimbursement under another set of eligibility guidelines. This program reimburses damages to roadways which have received FHWA funding in the past including state roadways and some County roadways. Reimbursement under this program generally ranges from 80 to 100 percent depending on eligibility requirements.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program provides funding eligibility for repair of damages caused by natural disasters. Under this program eligible projects help people and conserve natural resources by relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by a disaster. NRCS-EWP provides up to 75 percent of the cost of projects that are eligible.

The Process for Damage Reinbursement

• There are several locations in the County where damages to infrastructure severed connections ranging from safe transportation and property access to utility services and emergency services. These locations had to be temporarily or permanently repaired in order to provide these needs to the public.

Sampling of Projects

Chemstrand Road

• Storm impacts include 2,000 feet of roadway, drainage and private property destruction with washouts as much as 10 feet deep along Blue Springs Drive and surrounding roadways sending substantial amounts of roadway sediment into Crescent Lake.

• A section of Crescent Lake Dam was destroyed, emptying the creek-fed lake. Initial repair efforts focused on public safety, public involvement, property access and restoration of utility services. The project is currently in the final phases of roadway construction with most of the roadway paving to be completed by the end of April. Outfalls around the Lake will be improved with completion this summer.

• Most of the project is reimbursable though the FEMA-PA program. Crescent Lake Dam construction will start later this year and is reimbursable through the NRCS-EWP program. NRCS-EWP funding became available in February.

Blue Springs & Crescent Lake Repairs

Blue Springs Drive Before Blue Springs Drive

Nearing Completion

Blue Springs & Crescent LakeTotal Project Cost: $1.47 million, with an additional $675,000 for repairs to Crescent Lake Dam

East Shore Drive Before East Shore Drive Repaired

Blue Springs & Crescent Lake (Cont.)

Crescent Lake Dam Breach Crescent Lake Emptied

Blue Springs & Crescent Lake (Cont.)

• Storm impacts included a 53-foot-long section of Dog Track Road just south of Lillian Highway washed out leaving a 9-foot deep gap in the roadway.

• Damages included utilities and drainage infrastructure. The project is reimbursable under the FHWA-ER program.

• The emergency repairs were completed within four weeks following the April Storm.

Dog Track Road Repairs

Dog Track Road Before Dog Track Road Before

Dog Track RoadTotal Project Cost: $96,272

• Storm impacts included a roadway washout at the middle section of Galvin Avenue located in the Springdale Forest subdivision severing the connection of utilities and access to 28 properties while destroying one residence.

• Temporary repairs to the roadway and utilities were completed within weeks following the flood. The project is reimbursable though the FEMA-PA program.

• Final project repairs are now complete and incorporated the damaged residential property into an expansion of the existing stormwater pond.

Galvin Avenue Repairs

Galvin Avenue Before Galvin Avenue Repaired

Galvin AvenueTotal Project Cost: $44,948

• Storm impacts include a 200-foot-long washout of Johnson Avenue just north of the Olive Road intersection.

• The 20-foot-deep washout caused re-routing of traffic and damage to utilities.

• The large concrete box culvert under the roadway was displaced by the flood currents. Repair costs are reimbursable under the FHWA-ER program.

• The repairs to Johnson Avenue were completed within three months following the event.

Johnson Avenue Repairs

Johnson Avenue Before Johnson Avenue Repaired

Johnson AvenueTotal Project Cost: $534,484

• Storm impacts include the destruction of a 200-foot section of South Old Corry Field Road at the Jones Creek crossing.

• Damages include a substantial amount of debris due to flooding upstream, impacts to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic and substantial impacts to utilities.

• Following the storm a temporary pedestrian crossing was constructed to assist the local community. Temporary repairs to open the roadway to vehicular traffic were completed in November. Repair costs are reimbursable under the FHWA-ER program. Design of an arch-span bridge to replace the culvert crossing is ongoing.

• The bridge is expected to cost an estimated $2.5 million and will be constructed under a local agency program agreement between Escambia County and FDOT. Construction is anticipated to start in 2017.

South Old Corry Field Road Repairs

S. Old Corry Field Road Before S. Old Corry Field Road Repaired

South Old Corry Field RoadTotal Project Cost: $78,000, with additional $2.5 million for bridge construction

• Storm impacts include substantial flooding in the areas surrounding Lake Charlene including over 200 properties. Infrastructure damage included a 750-foot section of Lake Charlene Drive which was damaged. Immediate repairs consisted of reconstructing the most heavily damaged section of roadway and installing underdrains.

• At a cost of $396,602, this work was FEMA-PA reimbursable and was completed in mid-summer 2014. A second phase of pavement rehabilitation is currently in the pre-construction phase and will cost an additional $124,000 with FEMA-PA reimbursement expected. The County spent $80,271 on improvements to the southern outfall ditch and that work was completed in late 2014. An additional $35,000 was spent on a dredging plan for the private canal south of the lake.

• Dredging improvements are expected to cost approximately $500,000. The County has submitted an HMGP Grant Application worth nearly $2 million that would provide outfall improvements from the lake and channels.

• The application is currently under review by the state and will proceed to FEMA in May. A study is ongoing which will recommend additional improvements to address specific issues in the area in conjunction with the grant improvements.

Lake Charlene Drive Repairs

Lake Charlene Drive Before Lake Charlene Drive After

Lake Charlene DriveTotal Project Cost: $511,873 completed, $2.62 million planned

Lake Charlene Drive (Cont.)

Lake Charlene South Outfall Ditch Improvements

• Storm impacts consisted of a 30-foot-long washout of Prieto Drive located over a major drainage channel just east of Corry Station property leaving a gap across the roadway.

• Traffic had to be re-routed to the north for access to the residential areas to the west. Temporary repairs to the roadway and erosion impacts were FEMA-PA reimbursable and were completed by the Roads Division to restore traffic access.

• Permanent repairs will begin in early summer and will also be FEMA-PA reimbursable.

• There were additional impacts to the channel downstream of this area including concrete damage and the flooding of a storage facility.

• Further channel stabilization downstream is planned.

Prieto Drive Repairs

Prieto Drive Before Prieto Drive Temporary Repair

Prieto Drive Total Project Cost: $372,817 and an additional $70,000 planned downstream

• Storm impacts consisted of a 40-foot-long washout of Winthrop Avenue located just west of Jamaica Street. This resulted in roadway closure, utility impacts and erosion downstream.

• The location is a culvert crossing for a major outfall channel leading to the north end of the bayou north of Navy Point. The repairs were FEMA-PA reimbursable and are now complete.

Winthrop Avenue Repairs

Winthrop Avenue Before Winthrop Avenue Repaired

Winthrop AvenueTotal Project Cost: $206,000

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