Flash Floods Hit Mid-Town Neighborhood Again

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - This morning's flash flooding was an all too familiar sight for the Vollintine Evergreen neighborhood. When it rains hard, residents have to prepare for flooded cars and homes.

They say the city is to blame and it's time the city re-vamped the storm water system, so this doesn't happen every time it rains.

The water lines on the side of Harold Terrell's Vollintine Evergreen home marked miserable memories. His neighbor's share the same ones. These pictures show Monday morning's flash flooding on North Auburndale, near Lick Creek. Terrell's car was soaked this time around.

"I used a wet vac this morning, got as much water as I could, got a fan sitting on the floor board now," Terrell said.

Terrell said this is at least the third flash flood in the neighborhood since 2002.

"May of this year was the worst. Seventeen inches in the back room. Four and a half feet in the basement," Terrell said.

Terrell is among a handful of residents trying to turn the tide by saturating the city with emails and pictures of their latest water fight.

"We're often told by the city, they don't know there are problems," resident Mary Wilder said.

Wilder is spearheading the effort with a letter. She wants the city to move forward with a 2006 study.

"There are recommendations in that study for detention throughout the Lick Creek Water Basin. And if they were to implement some of those smaller recommendations, it would have a positive impact and reduce the flooding in this area," Wilder said.

Wilder said FEMA has only helped cover the costs of one flash flood- that was in May. Otherwise, residents have had to use flood insurance, if they had the foresight to get it. But for most, like Terrell, it's out of their own pockets.

"If I had to add everything up, it's gong to be anywhere from five, six, seven thousand [dollars] before it's all over," Terrell said.

Some residents are considering suing the city for not maintaining the storm drainage system.

"They've got to take it seriously. Not just hope the weather will change," Wilder said.

Terrell worries the only option he has left, is changing his address.

"I wouldn't mind moving," Terrell said.

FOX 13 did ask the City of Memphis for a response to this story Monday. A spokeswoman said due to the rains, the departments that would address this issue-- Engineering and Public Works-- were out working on residents' concerns.

But, the city will follow-up on this Tuesday.