Rock Hill Neighborhood Grapples with Flooding Despite Risk Reduction Efforts
Rock Hill, S.C. — On Tuesday, long-standing flooding issues once again plagued Rock Hill’s College Downs area at the intersection of King Drive and Doby Drive, despite earlier attempts by the city to minimize the risks.
A Long-standing Issue
Locals claim the flooding problem spans six decades. Despite spending a hefty amount in April 2022 to alleviate the situation, Tuesday’s storms provided a stark realization: the problem persists. Residents of the College Downs area shared videos revealing streets and some homes submerged in water. One of those homeowners, Moses Samuel, commented that flooding has been an issue since 1969.
City’s Counter-measures
In an effort to curb this ongoing issue, the city initiated a $2 million project. They converted some of the land into greenspace by lowering its level, with the aim of diverting floodwaters. Additionally, the city constructed a roundabout to provide a safer and alternate exit from the locality. Councilman Perry Sutton explained the benefits of these enhancements, although he conceded that reducing flooding there required dredging the adjacent creek.
Feasibility Study and Potential Obstacles
Dredging the creek, Sutton said, would need an in-depth study to anticipate any potential downstream effects like flooding further south. A feasible solution may require clearance from multiple government agencies and could amount to an astounding $60 Million. Moses Samuel, a local inhabitant, expressed that this was something that should have been explored years ago.
Impact on Local Residents
Unfortunately, two homes were flooded during Tuesday’s storm. City authorities claimed to have proposed alternative accommodation options to these families months ago, in an effort to relocate them from the flood plain. However, these offers were declined by the families. Details about these offers or the reasons for rejection are currently unknown as the affected families chose not to comment on camera.
Next Steps
Moving forward, the city will have to consider dredging the creek if the flooding risk is to be significantly mitigated. This measure, while costly, could reduce the chances of future flooding and the associated damages. However, it requires a thorough feasibility study to weigh the potential benefits against the costs and possible downstream effects. In the meantime, residents are left to cope with the continued flooding risk and its consequences.
