Experts urge county to update stormwater design and rainfall data as development proceeds

During testimony on Jack’s Branch cases, stormwater experts urged the county to update engineering design data and standards to reflect modern rainfall and climate conditions.

Chris Curb, who identified himself as representing Flood Defenders Panhandle and as a district soil‑and‑water supervisor, told the board that Escambia County’s design rainfall archive understates current conditions and that the county should follow FDOT/NOAA updates. He cited historical NFIP claim totals to underline the financial stakes: “720,000,000 for 11,799 claims to the National Flood Insurance Program,” he said, and argued that county code should use the most recent NOAA rainfall and sea‑level‑rise data in stormwater management design. Dr. Gloria Horning added that stormwater is the primary pollutant of waterways in the region and warned of escalating bacteria and toxin loads affecting recreation and wildlife.

County staff and the applicant said stormwater and wetland protections are part of later site‑plan and DRC reviews, but both experts urged that the cumulative watershed effects of multiple opt‑outs be considered at the plan‑amendment stage as well.