State and local leaders meet to solve flooding issues across Tennessee

Tennessee has seen just how destructive flooding can be, but what can be done to fix it?
Experts say money and additional grant funding can help solve many issues across the state.
Published: Aug. 12, 2022 at 10:19 PM EDT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Whether it’s flooding locally in Knoxville, waters that cause a mass evacuation at a Gatlinburg campsite or widespread flooding in Cocke County, Tennessee has seen how destructive flooding can be over the last year.

Understanding the dangers of flood waters, state and local leaders met on Friday afternoon to talk about ways to solve the problem across the state.

“This is something we’ll probably be facing forever,” said Senator Richard Briggs.

Briggs added that the group, which plans to regularly meet going forward, can help orchestrate grant proposals and communicate clearly with other counties to figure out what strategies are working the best.

Jacob Mann is a stormwater engineer in Knoxville who said the biggest thing that could make an impact on solving flooding is more money.

“Unfortunately, funding is a major issue. So, while grant applications come in for one-time monies, it’s really the reoccurring money we need,” said Mann.

The more funding they can get to engineers, the better they can equip local infrastructure, according to Mann.

“Catch basins, area drains and all the curb and gutter you see that are able to crack and fail. You’ve got undersized pipes and cracks in roads that are unable to handle today’s frequent flood events,” said Mann.

The group plans to meet more going forward but hasn’t set any dates yet.

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