Army Corps briefs Daytona Beach on flood‑risk study, warns flooding cannot be eliminated

Jim Lagrone, project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, told the Daytona Beach City Commission on Dec. 17 that a multi-year hurricane flood‑risk study of the Nova Canal/Halifax watershed is nearing agency technical review and that public workshops and a final report are planned next year.

The Corps’ modeling identifies neighborhood‑level flooding in a 100‑year event and shows localized depths the team described in the presentation. Lagrone said the study modeled historical storms to calibrate their results, citing Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Ian, and produced a suite of alternatives narrowed from 22 measures using cost and benefit screening. "We're never gonna eliminate flooding in this region," Lagrone said, adding the study’s purpose is to reduce problematic flooding that impedes emergency access.

The briefing described the study area — bounded roughly by Bellevue Road, Orange Avenue, Ridgewood Avenue and Nova Road — and the role of legacy canals like the Navy Canal and Nova Canal in sending tide and stormwater into low‑lying neighborhoods. The Corps presented a range of options under consideration, including tide gates, pump stations, improved conveyance, voluntary and mandatory buyouts, and targeted dry‑reservoir concepts. Lagrone noted some measures are likely to be screened out on benefit‑cost ratios; he cited examples where retrofitting a golf course to act as a reservoir could cost on the order of $100 million to $200 million, producing BCRs the team judged too low to advance.

Commissioners asked about short‑term recommendations and funding for buyouts; Lagrone said no immediate actions were recommended until the Corps completes agency technical review and that voluntary buyouts remain on the table. He said the team plans another public workshop in February and intends to release a public report around October 2026. He also offered an interactive website and an email contact for follow‑up.

The commission did not take formal action on the study at the meeting. The Corps briefed staff, outlined next steps for cost refinement and geotechnical work, and signaled further public engagement and technical review before any project selection or funding commitments.