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Mass amounts of rainfall in Corolla on Tuesday, September 17 have left residents facing flooding and swamp-like conditions for more than a week.

“The rainfall varied by specific location in Corolla. For the area, there was 6 – 10.5 inches of rain. It is not unusual for localized flooding to occur when this much rain falls in Corolla,” said Randall Edwards, public information officer for Currituck County. “The underground water table cannot hold that much when the area receives several inches of rain, so the result is localized flooding.”

The county began pumping storm water in Ocean Sands Service District and Crown Point last Friday. Pumps throughout the area were running constantly to alleviate flooding surrounding homes and on roadways. Pumps discharged water at various outfall sites on the beach.

The county cautioned against swimming or surfing near ocean outfall sites.

The NC Department of Environmental Quality issued a precautionary swimming advisory for oceanside areas in Corolla and Duck on September 26, due to floodwater pumping near 4×4 on-ramp, Crown Point Circle, Myrtlewood Court; Atlantic Avenue at Adriatic Avenue and Lala Court.

“These waters can contain pollutants such as waste from wildlife and pets, oil and gasoline from parking lots and waste from septic systems or sewers,” the advisory said. “This notice does not imply that disease-causing organisms are present in the water; it is meant to caution beachgoers of an increased risk of contamination that can cause adverse health effects.”

Residents have complained about pumps not working fast enough to drain the water.

“Parts of my house flooded and I can’t get the HVAC or septic system fixed with millions of gallons of water surrounding my house and swamp-like conditions,” said Corolla resident Edward Seguine. “The longer the water stands there, the more it stagnates, smells, and causes secondary problems.”

Seguine said when he built his house he was required to build a retention wall. “Now it holds the storm water runoff for 980-1000 Lighthouse and Whalehead Drives.”

When asked what systems failed that caused this problem, the county public information officer replied to The Coastland Times in a September 23 email:

“There were no system failures. The Ocean Sands Service District does not have the infrastructure to pump water and lower the ground water table. They have a plan to install the infrastructure (pumps and pipes) but it is only in the very beginning and will be a multiyear project. Because they are a service district, those funds can be used to rent pumps and hoses in order to pump the water, which is being done now.”

As of publication, pumping was still in process in Ocean Sands and Crown Point. The pumps in the Swan Beach 4WD area were to be removed Friday.

“The Ocean Sands Service District funds pay only for the pumping operations in Ocean Sands and Crown Point,” said Edwards. “The service district funds are not used for the pumping in the Swan Beach 4WD area. That area is not a service district but the pumping there was necessary to ensure a route for emergency service vehicles during high tide, when the beach road was impassable. Two pumps were used there – Dare County loaned one pump and the second pump is owned by Currituck’s Utility Department.”

“Citizens should use caution near pumping equipment and avoid the discharge water at outfall locations on the beach,” stated the Friday morning update on pumping operations from Currituck County. “The 4WD beach may be impassable for a time before and after high tide. Tide information is available at https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/.”

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