June 2022 Flooding Information
To learn more about the June 2022 flooding incident in Cutler Bay, watch this presentation by Town of Cutler Bay Public Works Director and representatives from the South Florida Water Management District and Town Contractor, Kimley-Horn.
About the Incident
The Town of Cutler Bay suffered an extreme rain event in June of 2022 when, between June 2-9, the Town received 22.68 inches of rain—to put this into perspective, for the entire year of 2021, the town received 50.67 inches of rain. The event qualified as a "100-year storm" event and left several neighborhoods severely flooded—particularly Saga Bay, portions of Lakes by the Bay and the neighborhood to the north of Franjo Park. During the event, the Town partnered with Miami-Dade County's Office of Emergency Management, Fire Department, South Florida Water Management District and County Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins to secure resources and services to ensure residents' safety.
After the flooding subsided, Town staff collected and analyzed data made available during the event to continue the extensive flood mitigation initiatives strategies already in place. In 2008, the Town completed the Storm Water Master Plan (SWMP) to identify opportunities to protect surface water quality and reduce flooding within Town.
The plan identified 17 priority stormwater projects, many which have been completed or are currently under design. The Town is also very proactive in the maintenance of drainage systems and cleans all storm drains in the entire Town on a two-year cycle, with hot spots cleaned annually. Street sweeping is also done bi-weekly on all roads with curb and gutter. Through these initiatives, and various others, the Town has achieved a coveted Community Rating System Class 3 in the National Flood Insurance Program, making it the only municipality in Miami-Dade County and the 4th in all of Florida to achieve this.
The Town remains committed to improving its floodplain mitigation efforts and of the $21,896,320 the Town was allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act, $11 million of those funds have been earmarked for the design and construction of various Water Quality Improvement Projects that will continue these efforts.
