JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Action News Jax’s First Alert Weather Team says that Jacksonville Beach received between six and eight inches of rain Tuesday, but much of the flooding that developed during the storm had cleared within 24 hours.
Jacksonville Beach Mayor Chris Hoffman said that’s thanks to improvements to the city’s stormwater infrastructure.
“It takes a lot of planning and investment in our infrastructure and our stormwater drainage,” Hoffman said. “It’s expensive, but it’s important.”
Hoffman said managing flooding is a constant challenge for the coastal city, making water both the city’s biggest asset and biggest liability.
“We’re surrounded by water, and when we have big storms - a lot of rain - we really have to be cognizant of the fact that there’s not a lot of places for it to go,” Hoffman said.
Because of that, the city has focused heavily on improving stormwater systems, especially in areas that have historically experienced flooding.
“We have really focused on our stormwater infrastructure, particularly in our downtown area and other places that used to have chronic flooding,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman said the city’s Public Works Department plays a key role before and during storms by clearing drainage ditches and stormwater drains to help keep water moving — work that often goes unseen.
“We want people to see the results and not necessarily know all that goes into that,” Hoffman said. “I really appreciate our public works department for all their hard work.”
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