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North Beach residents urge for updated flood prevention measures needed in the community

St. Johns County is studying ways to ease flooding near a North Beach neighborhood. One resident says, "a lot more can be done than what we have in place."

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — North Beach is prone to flooding, but it has not received much media attention over the years. 

It is just north of Vilano Beach, on the west side of the barrier island.

A study is underway to figure out how to keep the neighborhood from flooding so badly.

Cliff and Debbie Dickinson have taken matters into their own hands when it comes to floodproofing their home in North Beach. During last autumn's hurricanes, "We had eight inches of water in the house. It was enough to destroy most things it touched," Cliff Dickinson told First Coast News

Now, they're ready for the next flood. The Dickinson's have installed door dams and newly-built concrete barriers around their entire house and AC unit.

Their neighbor a few blocks away – Jeff Ahl – had water in his house, too, 14 inches.

The North Beach neighborhood is sandwiched between the Intracoastal Waterway and the ocean. People here have seen water levels rise over the years. They say the methods installed decades ago to keep flood waters at bay are outdated and are not strong enough now.

For example, the outfalls. Those are the large pipes that let storm water drain out of the neighborhood into the intracoastal waterway.

The pipes have a valve "that allows water to flow out, but it's not supposed to allow water to flow back into the community," Ahl said. "If debris gets in these type of things, debris can keep the valve open, which allows saltwater to flow back in."

And that floods the neighborhood.

"The county is working with us on that to provide more maintenance," said Ahl.

Also, ditches are sometimes full of debris which slows the drainage in the neighborhood.

New homes are being built higher but that might compound the flooding issue, Cliff Dickinson said. 

"All these permits that are going out, are allowing new homes to be built on raised slabs," said Dickinson. "They’re diverting the water to lower places."

Some of those "lower places" are houses built in the 1950s, '60s and '70s like Dickinson’s home.

Carol Anderson works for the North Beach Community Alliance. She has reached out to St. Johns County about the flooding issue in North Beach. She said the county is working with her group and neighbors.

"The county has agreed to initiate a study," Anderson said.

Anderson says the county told her to expect study results and possible solutions by November.

She said the community group is hoping to educate as well, "to try to get as much information as we can to both the county and to the private resident so they know what the options are and to make some wise decisions before something happens again."

These residents agree, it's important to take measures to safeguard private property and it's just as important that county leaders work toward protecting the area in a broader way, such as with better infrastructure. 

The community "is worth protecting. It needs to be protected. A lot more can be done than what we have in place," Debbie Dickinson said.

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