Petersburg Citywide Drainage Study Underway
A stormwater management study underway will identify problems and outline solutions for flood mitigation throughout Petersburg. Much of the City’s main infrastructure is nearly 100 years old and as Petersburg continues to grow, stormwater management systems must be upgraded and expanded to handle demand and prevent flooding.
“Areas of Petersburg’s storm sewer system are overwhelmed with stormwater runoff during rainfall events due to a combination of (1) inadequate stormwater infrastructure, and (2) longer, more frequent, and more intense storms occurring as a result of climate impacts,” said Darryl Walker, Petersburg Stormwater Program Manager. “Mapping our storm sewer system assets and modeling watersheds in the City will give us a better idea of where drainage issues exist and what can be done to address them. Improving drainage and reducing localized flooding experienced by residents is an extremely high priority for the City’s Stormwater Management Program.”
The study team, led by Timmons Group, is surveying storm sewer assets in a pilot area in Old Towne. After collection within the pilot area is complete and data collection methodologies have been refined based on Petersburg’s unique characteristics, data collection will proceed throughout the City. Stormwater assets being mapped include stormwater inlets, manholes, pipe inlets/outlets, swales and channels, and stormwater management facilities (such as wet and dry ponds). A goal of the project is to map all stormwater features including those on both public and private property.
Survey crews will consist of at least 2 team members wearing identifying clothing. The crews will be carrying survey equipment, measuring devices, and other needed tools. As part of their surveys, the study team will open inlets/manholes, take measurements and observations inside the storm structure, and photograph the structure. In some cases, the survey crew may need to access private property to facilitate the collection of stormwater infrastructure data. The survey crew will not enter fenced areas without permission from the homeowner.
The study is being funded by a $2+ million-dollar grant from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) through the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund.