St. Pete finishes flooding fix in Shore Acres

ST. PETERSBURG – St. Petersburg has a flooding fix in the works to keep dozens of Shore Acres homes dry.

During rainy season, it's not uncommon to see Denver Park underwater. Last summer, water from the park seeped right into people’s backyards, sending six inches to a foot of water into yards. One downpour, or even afternoon high tide, can put Shore Acres streets underwater. Yet for Josh Cammack and Bill Haight, the flooding comes from behind their homes.

In Denver Park, the land is low and the water sometimes displaces straight into neighbors' yards.

Now, a new solution is in the works: big swales.

“It is a tidal ditch so water comes in and it goes out," explained John Norris of St. Pete's Public Works department.

St. Pete leaders think there used to be a ditch in the park for 50-70 years, but over time, it filled in with grass clippings and other lawn debris. The new swales are much deeper and wider.

“When we get a heavy downpour in the summer this will definitely help," Norris explained.

Neighbors are hopeful, after years of flooding, that this will finally work.