Rainwater runoff flooding in the area below the Bainbridge Pond outlet in Ocean Pines has been a major problem for decades. Waist-deep water flooded some roads, according to former Public Works Director Kerry Nelson. Former OPA General Manager Bob Thompson proposed buying the old Bay Shore golf property and using it to divert floodwaters to the bay. OPA's Board of Directors rejected the idea.

County Commissioner Jim Bunting then came to OPA's rescue and brokered a deal that cost OPA nothing but diverted some of the floodwaters under Beauchamp Rod into a pond at River Run. It was a tremendous help but did not completely solve the flooding problems plaguing property owners in that area.

Recently, a team appointed by GM John Viola under the leadership of OPA staff, led by Director of Amenities & Operational Logistics Colby Phillips, developed a plan to further reduce flooding. This was done in cooperation with Worcester County and an OPA engineering firm. The project was designed to increase the holding capacity of Bainbridge Pond and also divert a substantial amount of water to a holding pond on the old golf course property. The idea was to utilize a pond created by the developers of the property.

Total project cost was estimated to be around $1.6 million. No funds were included for access to the developer's pond. Apparently the county contact felt OPA could dump water into the pond at no cost. Whether those beliefs were well-founded at the time has become a moot point as the developer has apparently said OPA will not have access to the pond.

The result is a $1.6 million drainage project, with the State of Maryland approving about $475,000 in grant money, now has no place to dump the water coming out of Ocean Pines. OPA hopes to keep the grant money and downsize the project to something closer to $800,000. The project includes no provision for getting rid of floodwaters beyond what is now in place. Unfortunately, it appears River Run pond cannot take increased flows.

Where will the water go? No board member has asked that question? The project does include construction to increase the holding capacity of Bainbridge Pond by about 50,000 cubic feet. While perhaps better than nothing, 50,000 cubic feet of water represents about two inches of rainfall on only one acre. The increased storage will delay flooding, but only for a short time during the kind of rainfalls that cause flooding.

Many years ago there was a proposal to construct a drainage system down Beauchamp Road on the OPA side and divert floodwaters to the area around the launching ramp. At that time the project was estimated to cost around $4 million. Costs today are thought by some to be in the $8 million to $10 million range.

The current project, if completed as proposed at $1.6 million, would have had an extremely positive impact on flooding for OPA properties in the general area between Bainbridge Pond and Beauchamp Road. The impact of a phase-one approach with no additional location to divert water outside of Ocean Pines is questionable from a cost/benefit ratio.

If $800,000 is spent and there is little improvement in the flooding problem, some folks are going to be looking for a scapegoat. Who will take the fall? It will not be the Board of Directors.