STORMTRACK 3: With more rain on the way, flooding likely

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It rained and it poured, and it’s not done with us yet. Don’t get complacent because the heavy rains will soon be back with a vengeance.

Roads like New Centre Drive in Wilmington were nothing short of a small lake after the heavy rains swept through but now it’s back to business as usual… for now.

With streets flooding out so quickly some people wonder why the city has’nt done anything about the drainage problem. The city’s Dylan Lee says backed up water flow comes down to cash flow.

“The city has planned improvements to that area to the tune of about $6.5 million, the beginnings of that will occur in about four years in regards to design and acquisition of easements,” Lee said.

Driving through high water is dangerous and can ruin your vehicle. Towing companies have been hard at work helping people who tried to make their way through the water only to realize it was too much for their car to handle.

Wayne’s Towing estimates they have towed over 50 cars out of high water, and that was just Tuesday… the day after the flooding.

When lots of rain falls in a short period of time, sometimes the soil can’t absorb all of it, and Steven Pfaff of the National Weather Service says that causes problems.

While the rain is needed in our area, it comes at a price to our environment.

“The number one pollution of our waters is storm water runoff,” said Mike Giles of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. “All the bacteria and grease and oil off the cars and dog feces and dog waste and animal waste and wildlife waste ends up in our water.”