SWANNANOA, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A storm drain grate jutting out of the ground on North Avenue has brought renewed attention to flooding problems that Swannanoa residents say have persisted since Tropical Storm Helene.

A photo taken Sunday, Oct. 11, shows the displaced grate surrounded by gravel and debris. Dan Slagle, who posted the picture in the Friends of Swannanoa Facebook group, said blocked culverts have caused water to back up through the drain.

“This is what a stormwater drain looks like when culverts are stopped up, and water flows through the drain in the wrong direction,” Slagle wrote.

The photo was taken after heavy rain from Tropical Storm Isaias moved through Western North Carolina over the weekend.

And North Avenue isn’t the only trouble spot.

Residents in the nearby Beacon Village area have complained for months about clogged culverts, overflowing ditches and water backing up onto their properties.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation says it has completed a field review of the area’s drainage system and is studying whether changes are needed.

NCDOT reviews drainage system

NCDOT Western Communications Manager David Uchiyama said state crews have spent extensive time cleaning drainage systems throughout Buncombe County, including Swannanoa.

That work has included cleaning shoulders and ditches along North Avenue, a pipe beneath the road, a ditch near Okie Dokie Smokehouse, a pipe beneath U.S. 70 and another ditch between the highway and the Swannanoa River.

“As we’ve always done, NCDOT crews regularly examine and clear all public drainage facilities to ensure they are open and providing conveyance as the system allows — especially following heavy storms,” Uchiyama said.

The agency’s hydraulics unit has also completed a field review of the entire Beacon Village drainage corridor.

“The field review data is currently being analyzed to determine any modifications to the existing public drainage system,” Uchiyama said.

NCDOT has not said when that analysis will be completed or whether any improvements will be recommended.

The agency also has not explained what caused the storm drain grate on North Avenue to become displaced.

Flooding concerns aren’t new

Slagle’s Facebook post prompted other Swannanoa residents to share their experiences.

Kim Balias said a storm drain near her home in the Beacon area backs up into her yard. Terry McFee Dorlan said her husband has been cleaning a drain outside their flower shop and tries to keep it clear after storms.

Another resident, Karen Lee, claimed NCDOT had been told about culvert problems on North Avenue three or four years ago and that a culvert farther down the road had collapsed. That account has not been independently verified.

NCDOT says its crews regularly inspect and clear public drainage facilities, including those along North Avenue.

The concerns aren’t limited to damage from Helene. Some residents say drainage problems existed before the September 2024 storm and have gotten worse since then.

In September, 828newsNOW reported that residents along Whitson Avenue and nearby streets were seeking help after repeated flooding.

Residents described water entering homes and yards and questioned whether the area’s culverts and drainage ditches could handle heavy rainfall.

In an Aug. 21 Facebook post, resident Jess Fager said state Reps. Eric Ager and Lindsey Prather had visited her home to see the flooding problems. Neighbors who had experienced similar problems and managers of a nearby bike park were also invited.

Fager said clearing clogged NCDOT drains and culverts should be the first step. But she also worried that the area’s drainage infrastructure hadn’t kept pace with development.

“The bigger fight will be to have the infrastructure catch up with the way Swannanoa is growing,” she wrote.

Clearing debris may not solve every problem if the drainage system can’t handle the amount of water flowing through it.

NCDOT’s review may provide some answers. For now, the agency has not said whether the Beacon Village drainage system needs repairs or larger improvements, or when residents might see additional work.