Nassau County readies 17 more drainage repairs after $4.5m programme passes rain test
Nassau County, Florida · Meeting date: October 21, 2026 · Published: October 22, 2026
Nassau County Public Works says all but one of its original priority flooding projects have been completed, while drainage upgrades at several previously flood-prone locations performed without reported flooding during a recent four-day rain event. The county is now prioritising 17 repairs for 2026-27.
Key points
- Public Works has issued 46 work authorisations for contracted storm-drain repairs totalling $4.5 million, including about $2 million for major priority drainage projects.
- Only Seahawk Place remains of the county’s original priority drainage projects; it is moving through scheduling.
- The county reported 10-15 inches of rain over four days, with no reported flooding at upgraded locations including Cairn Street and Oak Ridge Drive.
- Contractors have excavated nearly 500,000 linear feet of ditches over three consecutive years, while in-house crews completed 134,000 linear feet of ditch work and cleaned 42,000 linear feet of storm sewer.
Full report
Nassau County is preparing a further 17 drainage repairs for 2026-27 after reporting that its recent programme of stormwater works held up through a four-day rainfall event that brought between 10 and 15 inches of rain, depending on location.
Public Works has issued 46 work authorisations for contracted storm-drain repairs worth $4.5 million. About $2 million of that total was directed to major priority drainage projects identified after the county’s 2024 historical rainfall event exposed deficiencies in its system.
Only one of the original priority schemes remains unfinished: Seahawk Place, which Public Works said is progressing through the scheduling process. The department initially identified 12 priority projects, later expanding the list to 16 and adding about 12 further projects.
The department presented a series of post-rainfall examples intended to show the effect of completed works. At Cairn Street, where there had previously been little to no drainage infrastructure, the county installed inlets and piping; Public Works reported no flooding. Oak Ridge Drive had experienced water flowing toward homes before additional inlets and pipework were installed, but saw no flooding during the recent event.
At Avant Road, the county added ditches, multiple driveway crossings and underground storm systems. At Woodbridge Parkway, it replaced about 1,000 feet of sidewalk after identifying a low point at an intersection that had allowed around 400 feet of sidewalk to flood. The department said water no longer stands on the sidewalk.
Other cited projects included a new outlet at Simmons Road; a new underground drainage system at Clyde Hickenbotham Road; and work at Minucie Road, where the county inverted the roadway and installed a stormwater system after water had reportedly entered homes by six to 12 inches. Public Works also cited drainage improvements in American Beach, undertaken in conjunction with a sewer project, and an outfall excavation in the Wilson Neck area.
Alongside capital repairs, Nassau County has used contracted ditch excavation to establish what Public Works described as a 20-year cycle for clearing ditches countywide. Contractors have excavated nearly 500,000 linear feet of ditches over the past three years, including an additional nine miles of emergency work on Old Nassauville, Barnwell and Black Rock roads. In-house teams completed 134,000 linear feet of ditch excavation and cleaned 42,000 linear feet of storm sewer.
The department said outsourcing routine and labour-intensive work has allowed county crews to focus on more complex drainage construction and respond more quickly to service calls. It also highlighted the role of its Jetta Vac truck, which can excavate around utilities and support more precise repairs.
With the first tranche of major flooding schemes nearing completion, the next 17-project pipeline will determine whether the county can extend that performance across remaining problem areas.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: Board of County Commissioners Meeting, Nassau County