Cape Canaveral seniors brace for flooding from tropical storm: 'Trying to survive'

Cape Canaveral residents prepping for storm impacts

All weekend, seniors living at the Cape Canaveral Mobile Estates were digging trenches and trying to get ready for whatever impacts the tropical system off the coast of Florida could bring to the Space Coast. Neighbors who live at the manufactured home park deal with flooding constantly, even just during regular thunderstorms, so the property manager is trying something new. They have a permanent pump, hoses going into a back canal and deeper ditches going into this week?s storm. They?re frustrated with the city because they?ve been dealing with flooding for years and think more needs to be done with street drainage and back canal maintenance to stop the issue from happening in the first place.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - All weekend, seniors living at the Cape Canaveral Mobile Estates were digging trenches and trying to get ready for whatever impacts the tropical system off the coast of Florida could bring to the Space Coast.

What we know:

Neighbors who live at the manufactured home park deal with flooding constantly, even just during regular thunderstorms, so the property manager is trying something new. They have a permanent pump, hoses going into a back canal and deeper ditches going into this week’s storm.

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They’re frustrated with the city because they’ve been dealing with flooding for years and think more needs to be done with street drainage and back canal maintenance to stop the issue from happening in the first place.

The backstory:

FOX 35 first highlighted these concerns in early September. Neighbors had flooded after an afternoon rainstorm and reached out to FOX 35 for help. Residents say they live in constant fear which is why they invested in these changes as storms inched closer to the coast.

What they're saying:

Residents say these are band-aid solutions, but they’re asking the city to help them prevent flooding in the first place. 

"You can put a Band-Aid out here, and it may help. But you have to take care of the whole wound," said Lue Drake, who’s a Cape Canaveral resident that deals with flooding. 

"We got as much ready that can be done possibly without any help," said Bill Skinner, who manages the manufactured home community.

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FOX 35 reached out to the City of Cape Canaveral about the ongoing issues and the residents' concerns when we first reported on the issue. A city spokesperson responded back then to several questions from FOX 35's Esther Bower and acknowledged it was aware of the residents' concerns.

The spokesperson said the city has trimmed vegetation around the community, including in the ditch behind it. A study is also underway to determine whether a permanent pump would help alleviate the flooding around that main ditch. The city said it is applying for grants to help improve its stormwater system. The city also said it has told management of the complex to purchase its own portable pump to help move the water during flash-flooding events.

What is the city doing to stop the flooding in the neighborhood?  "The City has trimmed the vegetation around and inside the ditch at the back of the property, removed any debris (demucked) from the ditch, and is actively maintaining it to ensure it remains clear of obstructions."

Is there discussion to build a lift/pump station nearby? That's what neighbors think would help. "An engineering study is currently underway to determine whether a permanent pump would help alleviate flooding in and around the area of the central ditch."

What has been done or is being done to make water move through the canal quicker so it doesn't back up into their community? "The water flows to the river via gravity, but during heavy rainfall, like yesterday's flash flood, it can overwhelm the ditch and impede its flow."

Has any funding been approved to address flooding in that community? "We are currently in the process of applying for grants to improve the stormwater system and infrastructure."

What should neighbors do to get help? They say they've been trying for nearly five years to fix the flooding with city assistance and are struggling to get anywhere. "We previously recommended to the property management that they purchase a portable pump to help move water from the property to the ditch during flash flood events, like the one that occurred yesterday. This is necessary because their stormwater drain is positioned below the water level of the ditch, which makes it easily overwhelmed during heavy rainfall."