Tidal Flooding Mitigation

The City of St. Augustine currently experiences “sunny day” flooding within many parts of the City, including Davis Shores. According to Wikipedia, “Sunny day” flooding also known as tidal flooding or nuisance flooding, is the “temporary inundation of low-lying areas, especially streets, during exceptionally high tide events, such as at full and new moons. The highest tides of the year may be known as the king tide, with the month varying by location”. It is estimated that St. Augustine experiences this tidal flooding between 12 to 16 times per year.

What Happens During Tidal Flooding

During these tidal flooding events, sea water enters the City’s stormwater drainage system, backing up and into the streets, creating street flooding with salt water. The City’s stormwater drainage system, specifically for Davis Shores, has approximately 21 outfalls that collects stormwater from the streets and discharges through the existing pipe system and into either the Matanzas River or Salt Run. Therefore, this area is vulnerable to this tidal flooding due to the number of outfalls exposed to the Matanzas River or Salt Run.