Knoxville Stormwater Engineering Chief David McGinley, who has worked for the city for 29 years, says recent flash flooding events have exposed weaknesses in a stormwater drainage system that includes 400 miles of pipes, some dating to the early 1900s and others built before World War II, a report from WATE 6 News shows.
McGinley pointed to a rain gauge near recent flooding that measured 1.4 inches of rain in just 15 minutes, and said flood waters in North Knoxville rose to around five feet on the doors of a building. The Jennings Avenue area has seen roughly 10 cars flooded in the past two months, and the city currently has no funding listed for improvements there. The Knoxville Utilities Board’s wastewater treatment plants peaked at more than 150 million gallons of water during the flooding.
The city recently spent more than $4.3 million to map its 400 miles of stormwater pipes and is spending nearly $600,000 to evaluate how to address the drainage problems. Following flooding in June, the mayor’s office touted a total of $8.4 million in infrastructure investment, including nearly $700,000 for creek restoration at Mary Vestal Park, more than $600,000 for flood control on Baum and Erin drives in West Knoxville, about $600,000 for creek restoration at Baker Creek near Rock City Ballpark, and $350,000 for design work on a streambed stabilization project at Holston River Park.
McGinley said old terracotta pipes are prone to crumbling from vibrations and development, and that the city is waiting on a stormwater asset management plan to determine long-term funding needs, describing the underlying issue as one that goes unnoticed until it becomes a crisis.
Why it matters for Knoxville: With $8.4 million already committed since June’s flooding and key areas like Jennings Avenue still unfunded, the city’s stormwater fixes remain a work in progress as more intense rain events test century-old pipes.