CITY SPOTLIGHT
PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF BONIFAY
Stormwater drainage improvements: Camp Branch.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Iowa Street water tank.
Mitigating Stormwater
Bonifay improves city drainage system with partnerships, plans and grants by Beverly Gilley City of Bonifay
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BONIFAY Holmes County Pop. 2,709
he City of Bonifay is located 53 miles directly north of the City of Panama City Beach. Many visitors to the beach pass through the small town on the way for a long-awaited vacation or holiday. Bonifay is also a designated evacuation route out of harm’s way in the event of a major weather disturbance. Due to the City’s location, the community streets and roadways are essential not just to the locals but for all who travel along them. It is important to keep these roadways and streets passable and safe at all times. As with many communities in the Northwest Florida Panhandle, stormwater drainage is a major concern. During significant rainfall, many city streets become flooded, and businesses and homes suffer serious water damage to their property. In 2013, Bonifay saw a record annual rainfall of 97.58 inches. During Hurricane Sally, Bonifay saw rainfall of 13.1 inches in a 24-hour period. Residents saw flooding in homes, and many city streets were completely underwater. With city streets impassable, many businesses received significant damage, including city buildings. The post office had to be relocated, and the City Police and Fire-Rescue Departments sustained major damage. For many years, the City Council members searched for answers to help with the flooding. They turned their attention to the main drainage trunk running through the City’s center, the Camp Branch drainage ditch. In July 2018, the City was awarded $4.5 million in federal grant funds administered by the Florida Division of Emergency Management to improve the Camp Branch tributary. The improvements included removing and replacing existing undersized culverts, placing a box culvert that was 12 feet by 6 feet under Highway 79 and widening and clearing the channel. Completed in February 2021, this project was designed to withstand a 100-year storm event.
14 QUALITY CITIES | THIRD QUARTER 2021
PHOTO COURTESY OF HEATH JENKINS, MOTT MACDONALD ENGINEERING
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