A fellow Alexandrian has created a listserv to help unify the different neighborhoods who have been affected by the
recent flooding. Please see the details below. If you would like to join please email Katie at kfwaynick@gmail.com.
Neighbors,
Good evening. My name is Katie and I live on the northern end of Del Ray. After the flooding of July, my street started coming together as a more unified group to press for changes to relieve area flooding. As days progressed into weeks, we have picked up neighbors as far north as Arlandria and as far south as Old Town. Today, our full list has over 145 names and it keeps growing. I’ve tried to compile the most relevant notes and resources we have come up with, below, and will include all of you on future communications to the full group.
With the list growing I do my best to protect privacy and have kept my full email list private and blind copy everyone when I send things out. As a general rule, my goal is to help get information out to include city resources on flooding and information on upcoming meetings related to it.
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE
1. File a claim with the city for damages sustained – every claim has to be investigated and some have been able to get money for the city to support clean up efforts in their home.
2. Report issues
a. Anytime there is an issue on one of our streets – flooded basements, manhole covers coming off in storms, backed up storm drains, alleyway drains not working, etc. – report it through Alexandria 311. Every data point the city has provides valuable information. You can also download the 311 app and report from your phone. https://www.alexandriava.gov/Alex311
3. Contact City Council
a. In July we were really pushing reaching out to the City Council. It helped answer some basic questions and establish a good baseline for dialogue. At this point, they know people are struggling so I haven’t emailed them again but if at any point you would like to, follow this link to write one letter and send (via form) to all council members. https://alex311.alexandriava.gov/customer/request/CTYCNCL/details
b. I’ve found the mayor to be incredibly responsive across all channels, email and social media. If email isn’t your thing, here is the link to his official facebook page. It is also a great resource for keeping up with meeting information and other topics related to the city, as he maintains an active presence there: https://www.facebook.com/justindotnet
4. Attend City Meetings and Town Halls – Consider Speaking or Asking Questions
a. Many meetings have been made available digitally and flooding has been added to the docket of upcoming meetings. City Meeting Schedule Info: https://www.alexandriava.gov/council/info/default.aspx?id=9026
b. Flooding was discussed at a meeting this morning. I was not able to attend but have been told it was recorded and am waiting to watch that. I was hoping to have the link to send out, but have not seen it yet.
c. An additional meeting will be held on 9/22 and it would be great to have a strong showing from this area.
i. September 22nd Legislative Meeting Info: https://apps.alexandriava.gov/Calendar/Detail.aspx?si=32160
d. The mayor also holds a monthly virtual town hall and has encouraged residents to submit questions on this and other topics. They are held via facebook live and seem to be held during the first week of each month.
5. Documentation
a. It is vital that we continue to document these events in order to give a full account of what we are experiencing. If and when flooding occurs, try to get pictures and/or videos during and after the event, damages sustained, and anything else that tells the story of your house, street, alleyway, and neighborhood. If you aren’t able to get pictures during an event, look for high water lines from dirt and debris that can show where and how high the water rose.
b. This will also be helpful to better understand the different issues that all lead to flooding. Ask yourself the following related to the water you have enter your home. We have found that different homes on the same street will answer differently but all are important data points.
I’m not asking for you to answer these for me, but you should be able to answer these in the event that it becomes relevant in your own discussions with the city concerning your property and/or street.
i. Is sewage backing up within an inside basement shower, toilet, or other drain?
ii. Is a drain in your basement stairwell backing up?
iii. Do you have a backflow preventer? If so, do you have exterior drains that may back up if they are not able to drain via your sewer line if and when the valve checks?
iv. Does water enter through a back door? Where does that water come from?
v. Do you live near street storm drains that become overwhelmed?
vi. Do you live off an alleyway that becomes overwhelmed?
vii. Does your alleyway have drains that regularly backup, compounding the issues in the alleyway?
viii. Does water seep in through your foundation? Do you have window wells that fill with water and leak into your home?
ix. Does water enter your yard from adjacent property?
x. Do you have a combination of those listed above?
xi. What other factors or details have you noticed?
RESOURCES
The following are some pieces of information that have been very useful in better understanding the full scope of the issue the city faces. The first, a 2016 report, looks at the 8 sub-watersheds within the city and analyzes everything from how topography affects runoff, to the size of pipes in the area and how they manage runoff. These are large documents, still working my way through them myself.
1. 2016 CASSCA Stormwater Report
a. Alexandria commissioned a report that was completed in 2016 that took an in-depth look at the 8 sub-watersheds located throughout the city and their stormwater capacity. Each watershed has its own sub-report and solutions packet and all can be found at the following link:https://www.alexandriava.gov/tes/stormwater/info/default.aspx?id=117415
b. Summary report: https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/tes/Stormwater/CASSCA%20Final%20Summary%20Report.pdf
2. City of Alexandria Sewer Master Plan: https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/tes/info/SanitarySewerMasterPlan-FINAL.pdf
Hope everyone is in the process of drying out and has an enjoyable end to your weekend.
Katie Waynick
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