Despite near-perfect weather, high tide floods City Dock
Annapolis police directed traffic and cordoned off sections of Dock Street Thursday afternoon at high tide resulting in the loss of several parking spots.
Compromise Street was closed between Main Street and St. Mary's Street in both directions at 2:30 p.m. Sixth Street was also closed by city police at Severn Avenue to traffic coming over the bridge into downtown. That section was reopened at 3:30 p.m.
Mostly sunny with temperatures in the low 80s, Thursday's conditions were far different from a week ago when it rained nearly every day ahead of Hurricane Florence. City Dock flooded several days at high tide in the morning and at night and forced the closure of several streets for hours.
In a creative use of resources Thursday, Pip's Dock Street Dogs set up a makeshift walkway using sand bags as stepping stones to allow visitors to keep their shoes dry. Standing water was the result of high tide.
The city has plans to curb downtown flooding but is still awaiting federal funding to bring the project to fruition. The flood mitigation project for the Compromise Street side of City Dock is under design, with design completion expected in the first half of 2019, said the city's Public Works Director David Jarrell in an email.
At that time, the city plans to put the project out for bids, with construction starting in late 2019 or early 2020, Jarrell said. That is contingent on approval of the $3 million FEMA grant for the project. The state has approved $2 million for construction, and the city has $1.5 million approved in its capital program, Jarrell said.
Without the $3 million FEMA grant, the city won't be able to proceed with the project construction next year as planned.
Phase 2 of the project, for the Dock Street side of City Dock, was put on hold until the potential redevelopment of that area is sorted out and funding is identified.
Weather conditions should remain good until Sunday. It will warm up even more on Friday and Saturday with highs reaching the mid 80s and an abundance of sunshine.
A coastal flood warning is effect until 6 a.m. Friday. A coastal flood watch will be in effect Friday morning through Saturday morning.
The first chance of showers is Sunday, with temperatures falling into the 70s and a 40 percent chance of rain. Water is expected to come up through storm drains in the city.
City and county officials were on the lookout Thursday for debris flowing south in the Chesapeake Bay after the Conowingo Dam opened flood gates to relieve pressure from this summer's record rainfall.