A fast-moving Aug. 29 rainstorm that dumped rain on Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach — and missed most of Anna Maria — caused flooding on some roads, forcing several closures and detours. The rain, unfortunately, came during high tide, exacerbating the problem and resulting in slow drainage.
Holmes Beach public works crews closed off the portion of Sixth Avenue behind the Anna Maria Island Centre shopping plaza during the storm and also the Gulf Drive S-curve by the Manatee Public Beach, forcing motorists there to detour through the beach parking lot. The flooding abated and detour signs were removed by late afternoon.
While the flooding might look bad to first-time visitors or new residents on Anna Maria Island, flooding of Sixth Avenue from Gulf Drive to 37th Street and by Manatee Public Beach is nothing new for the city, said public works superintendent Joe Duennes.
“It’s been a problem since I came here 15 years ago,” he said.
And it’s not as if the city hasn’t tried to solve the problem, Duennes added.
At least five engineering studies of drainage the past 15 years have all included systems that will drain low-lying roads quicker, but can’t eliminate flooding during sudden downpours, Duennes said.
“The engineering firms all do design work for systems, but they all said that construction of more drains won’t stop the flooding, just get the water off faster. Our outfall is all under East Bay Drive” to Anna Maria Sound.
Duennes said flood waters used to remain on Sixth Avenue for several days before a clogged drain in Grassy Point was relieved several years ago.
Sixth Avenue now drains in 4-6 hours after a heavy storm, such as occurred last week, Duennes said.
“The heavy downpour was unexpected and came at high tide. I know some people who just moved here recently didn’t realize the entire Island is in a flood plain.”
Because the Island is in a flood plain, the drains are only a few feet above sea level at low tide, and many drains always have some standing tidal water.
Duennes said he wished he had a sump pump large enough to drain the water quickly, but such equipment is cost prohibitive.
A master drainage plan for the city would “almost be financially unfeasible,” he said.
Duennes also noted that Sixth Avenue lies in a valley between the shopping center and Gulf Drive. Raising the level of the Sixth Avenue pavement would push more water to the sides of the street, but not solve flooding.
Sixth Avenue 16-year resident Margarita Fernandez is well aware of the flooding on her street.
“Flooding used to be a really big deal. It would stand for months until we found that clogged drain along East Bay Drive. Now, drainage is better than it used to be,” she said.
She realizes drainage on her street depends upon the tides, but wants to make sure that rain spouts at the Walgreens under construction east of her house will be placed at the front of the store, not the rear.
“Water now comes from the shopping center down Sixth Avenue,” Fernandez said. “We don’t need any more runoff.”
She said she e-mailed Duennes asking him to check all drains along East Bay Drive and in the city to make sure none are clogged.
“It’s not fun to see my street flooded,” Fernandez said. “I know we live in a flood plain. I just want to make sure Joe is doing everything he can.”
Duennes assured Fernandez and all residents on streets that flood that he continues to look for methods to improve drainage time.
Like I said, I wish we had a giant sump pump,” Duennes said.
