BETHANY BEACH, DE -- Neighbors in Bethany Beach are no stranger to heavy road flooding, but a proposed solution aims to alleviate this problem with the installation of a retractable steel dam at the intersection between the Loop and Assawoman Canals.
The canals are part of the town's drainage system, and during storms or lunar tides, they can fill up, pushing water back into the drainage system - causing intense floods.
The town is currently applying for a federal grant to fund the conception and construction of the project, which is estimated to cost around two million dollars.
The town has posted a poll on it's website to assess public concern regarding floods, which you can find in the link below.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3LG8Q7D
Leslie Williamaski, who operates a women's boutique across from the canal, shared how flooding issues have negatively impacted her business, forcing her to close her shop on multiple occasions.
"The street floods to the point where they have barricades up; customers can't get to the store, and employees can't get out." said Williamaksi
Dan Tunnell, who lives across from the head of the Loop Canal, says it's been an issue the entire 30 years he's owned his property.
"Last year we had pretty high water; we were sort of trapped in the house for three days – couldn't get the car out. The water came up the driveway, up to about a foot onto the wheels," he explained.
