Annapolis businesses grapple with recurring coastal flooding

GUESS THE EFFORT IS UNDERWAY. KATE. WELL, PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK AND FREQUENT THIS AREA HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO THIS. UNFORTUNATELY, IN MANY DESCRIBED TODAY’S HIGH WATER EVENT AS NOT A BIG DEAL. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT WAS NOT STRESSFUL AND EXPENSIVE. SOME BUSINESSES DIDN’T OPEN UNTIL MID-AFTERNOON AND SOME DIDN’T OPEN TODAY AT ALL. AND IT’S A CURB DOWN THERE, RIGHT? YOU NEED WADERS ON. WALK THROUGH THERE. KEVIN BROWN KNOWS HIS HIGH WATER IN ANNAPOLIS. HE S BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF FLOODING HERE AT CITY DOCK FOR A VERY LONG TIME. HE HELPS HAND OUT SANDBAGS BEFORE THE WATER RISES AND HE HELPS CLEAN UP THE MUCK LEFT BEHIND WHEN THE WATER RECEDES. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I’VE SEEN CARS THAT WERE FLOODED AND TRAPPED. YES, I’M WITH THE LAST, UM, HIGH TIDE WE HAD. IT WAS A MERCEDES BENZ DOWN THERE. WORSER THAN THAT. REALLY? OH, YEAH. IT WAS UP TO THE DOORS, PAST THE DOORS. IT’S NOT THAT BAD. IT’S WHEN THE WATER GO DOWN, YOU CAN GET TO IT BETTER. NOT THAT BAD IS HOW MANY OF THE FOLKS FAMILIAR WITH THIS FLOOD PRONE AREA DESCRIBED WHAT THEY SAW ON FRIDAY, BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE PERIODS IN BETWEEN HIGH WATER ARE BECOMING LESS AND LESS, AND HIGH WATER INCIDENTS ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. SOME OF THESE PLACES HAVEN’T EVEN BEGUN TO RECONSTRUCT SINCE THE LAST FLOOD. OTHER BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN THROUGH FLOOD AFTER FLOOD AFTER FLOOD AND ARE MAKING AN EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS. THAT’S A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT. SOME BUSINESS OWNERS HERE SAY THEY’RE SO USED TO IT. THEY HAVE A PLAN, INCLUDING KATE WILKERSON, WHO WAS CROSSING HER FINGERS AS SHE OPENED THE FRONT DOOR OF ANNAPOLIS MARINE ART GALLERY. WE PUT THE CAMERA IN SO WE COULD SEE THE, UH, THE WATER LEVEL. SO WE WATCHED IT PRETTY MUCH ALL NIGHT LONG. AND NOW WE’RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, COME IN AND JUST PUT ALL THE ART BACK IN PLACE. A FULL DAY OUT HERE NOW, THOUGH, THE WIND, THE HEAVY WIND DID PROMPT GALE WARNINGS. SO IT’S NOT THAT BEAUTIFUL IF YOU’RE MARINER OUT ON THE WATER. PRINCE GEORGE’S STREET DOES REMAIN UNDER WATER RIGHT NOW, BUT BY ABOUT 3:00, THE WATER THE HIGH WATER HAD RECEDED ENOUGH THAT THAT THE CITY OF ANNAPOLIS WAS ABLE TO REOPEN THE PARKING LOT HERE, CITY DOCK, PARKING LOT TO THE PUBLIC. THE BUSINESS OWNERS WE TALKED TO SAID AT THIS POINT, THOSE THAT DID REOPEN SAID THEY’RE JUST MOVING ON. LOOKS AHEAD. THERE’S A VERY BUSY WEEKEND HERE WITH A LOT OF EVENTS PLANNED, AND THEY SAY THEY WANT TO BE READY FOR IT. LIVE I

Coastal flooding is once again challenging businesses in Annapolis. Rain and strong winds brought flooding to the area Friday morning."See this water here? Look at how high that is. It's way up there. You can't even see the sidewalk," Annapolis Department of Public Works official Kevin Brown said.He's been on the front lines of flooding at City Dock for a long time."This is not the worst one. (Hurricane) Isabel was the worst one," he said.Brown helps hand out sandbags before the water rises. He also helps clean up the muck left behind when the water recedes. "It's not that bad. When the water goes down, you can get to it better," he said. "Not that bad" is how many of the locals familiar with this flood-prone area described the scene on Friday. "It's Annapolis. People have been dealing with it for hundreds of years," Jim Morrison of Annapolis Custom Gifts said.Just before 1 p.m., Storm Brothers Ice Cream was dry, clean and open for business.Meanwhile, contractors were back inside Bitty and Beau's Coffee, working to reopen from the big flood back in January.Some business owners are so used to it, they have a plan. Kate Wilkerson crossed her fingers while opening the front door of Annapolis Marine Art Gallery."It's dry inside, it's dry inside," she said. "Every single time this happens, we just put our plan in motion. As long as we have notice from the city, we know that we need to pick up all of our art and move it. That's our first priority."Though Prince George's Street remains underwater, by about 3 p.m., water had receded enough for the City Dock parking lot to reopen.Business owners said they're moving on and looking forward to a busy weekend of events.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —

Coastal flooding is once again challenging businesses in Annapolis.

Rain and strong winds brought flooding to the area Friday morning.

"See this water here? Look at how high that is. It's way up there. You can't even see the sidewalk," Annapolis Department of Public Works official Kevin Brown said.

He's been on the front lines of flooding at City Dock for a long time.

"This is not the worst one. (Hurricane) Isabel was the worst one," he said.

Brown helps hand out sandbags before the water rises. He also helps clean up the muck left behind when the water recedes.

"It's not that bad. When the water goes down, you can get to it better," he said.

"Not that bad" is how many of the locals familiar with this flood-prone area described the scene on Friday.

"It's Annapolis. People have been dealing with it for hundreds of years," Jim Morrison of Annapolis Custom Gifts said.

Just before 1 p.m., Storm Brothers Ice Cream was dry, clean and open for business.

Meanwhile, contractors were back inside Bitty and Beau's Coffee, working to reopen from the big flood back in January.

Some business owners are so used to it, they have a plan. Kate Wilkerson crossed her fingers while opening the front door of Annapolis Marine Art Gallery.

"It's dry inside, it's dry inside," she said. "Every single time this happens, we just put our plan in motion. As long as we have notice from the city, we know that we need to pick up all of our art and move it. That's our first priority."

Though Prince George's Street remains underwater, by about 3 p.m., water had receded enough for the City Dock parking lot to reopen.

Business owners said they're moving on and looking forward to a busy weekend of events.

Annapolis businesses grapple with recurring coastal flooding

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