Swannanoa residents raise culvert concerns after repeated flooding

SWANNANOA, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Swannanoa residents who experienced flooding from Tropical Storm Helene are having flashbacks every time it rains.

In the Beacon Village area, recent storms have sent water into basements, flooded streets and brought back a question residents have been asking since Helene: When will the drainage problems be fixed?

Jess Fager said her basement has taken on a foot or more of water during separate storms in recent weeks.

On Whitson Avenue, she said, flooding has gotten so bad that another major storm could leave residents unable to get out of their driveways.

Fager’s husband, Jeff, brought the concerns to Buncombe County commissioners during the public comment portion of Tuesday night’s meeting.

The Fagers and other residents are concerned about drainage along Whitson Avenue, North Avenue, Alexander Street and Park Street.

Jess Fager said she doesn’t think there is one single cause of the flooding.

She said some storm drains and culverts are still blocked with debris left behind after Helene. As one example, she said an entire car bumper was recently pulled from a culvert after residents had been told by NCDOT that the drainage system was not blocked.

NCDOT says its public drainage system has been regularly inspected and cleared.

David Uchiyama, NCDOT’s Western Communications manager, said maintenance crews have regularly examined and cleared public drainage facilities, particularly after heavy storms.

Some of the drainage system, however, runs across private property.

State law prevents NCDOT from performing operations on private property, Uchiyama said.

That has left residents trying to figure out who is responsible for some of the drainage problems around their homes.

NCDOT plans drainage assessment

NCDOT is now taking another look at the drainage system around Whitson Avenue.

The agency’s statewide hydraulic team has scheduled a comprehensive assessment of the system in and around Whitson Avenue, Uchiyama said.

If the assessment finds improvements are needed to NCDOT’s drainage system, the agency will look for available funding.

The assessment won’t necessarily mean a construction project is coming, but it could help identify where the problems are and what might be needed to fix them.

NCDOT also said it has preliminary work underway on a federal BRIC grant application to address drainage issues on Edwards and Richmond avenues. The agency is also looking at other grant opportunities.

Residents question culverts, development

Fager said she believes some drainage structures were damaged during rebuilding and construction after Helene.

Jeff Fager told commissioners that some NCDOT drains near new building sites have been crushed and covered.

Jess Fager also has questions about drainage connected to the new Beacon Park bike facilities.

She said two 24-inch pipes from the park were connected to a 15-inch pipe and questioned whether that arrangement can handle the amount of water reaching the system.

Fager said she received conflicting information from NCDOT employees about whether the agency had approved the connection.

Those claims have not been verified.

Fager also said the land behind her home, which she does not own, now slopes toward the house after changes she says occurred following the storm. She believes that is sending more water toward homes along Whitson and North avenues.

She stressed that she and other residents are not opposed to Beacon Park.

In fact, Fager said residents are excited about the new park and believe the project was built according to plans approved by the county.

The park is being built on the former Beacon Blanket Mill site and includes a bike facility, greenway, bridge and other improvements.

The project also includes extensive tree planting. Park officials have said the new native trees will help manage stormwater, stabilize soil and provide habitat.

Whether the park’s drainage system is contributing to flooding in nearby neighborhoods has not been established.

Who is responsible?

That is one of the questions the Fagers want answered.

Fager said she has contacted NCDOT and state representatives and was told they would work with residents and the county.

The Fagers also have been trying to determine which county department has authority over residential culverts.

Jeff Fager told commissioners that the county department that issues permits for residential driveway culverts told him it does not handle code enforcement or inspections of clogged culverts.

He asked commissioners to identify which department can address the problem and require what he believes is an appropriately sized drainage pipe.

For now, the Fagers are watching the weather and waiting for the next heavy rain.

NCDOT says its hydraulic team will take a closer look at the drainage system around Whitson Avenue.

Residents are hoping the assessment helps answer a few basic questions: Where is the water coming from, who is responsible for the drainage system and what can be done before another major storm hits?