Volusia County Council Approves $1.9 Million to Advance Stormwater Planning in South Daytona and Daytona Beach

Posted On: November 6, 2025

During its Nov. 4 meeting, the Volusia County Council approved two large-scale stormwater planning efforts totaling nearly $1.9 million to help South Daytona and Daytona Beach identify vulnerabilities, improve drainage, and reduce future flooding risks. Both initiatives are fully funded through federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds and will produce data-driven plans that support long-term recovery and resilience.

In South Daytona, the Council approved $488,627 for the development of a comprehensive stormwater and resiliency master plan that will evaluate existing drainage capacity, identify areas of concern, and recommend improvements to reduce flooding in residential neighborhoods. As the City's last stormwater plan was completed in 1995, the new plan will integrate modern flood modeling and flood-inundation mapping to assess infrastructure performance under changing conditions. It will also outline up to 15 prioritized improvement projects, including cost estimates, benefit-cost ratios, and funding strategies, to guide an implementation plan. In addition, the study will explore measures to address rising groundwater, stronger hurricanes, and tidal-influenced flooding events such as king tides.

The Council also approved $1,396,089 for a citywide stormwater and watershed management plan for Daytona Beach. The project will update and expand the City's hydrologic and hydraulic modeling to evaluate current and future flooding risks. Using advanced modeling tools, the plan will analyze multiple watershed systems and identify conceptual mitigation projects focused on flood reduction, water-quality improvement, and long-term stormwater management. The effort will help ensure that future mitigation and infrastructure improvements are prioritized equitably across the community, particularly in neighborhoods with older housing that is most vulnerable to storm impacts.

Together, these projects reflect Volusia County's ongoing commitment to regional collaboration and partnerships with its municipalities in stormwater management and flood mitigation. By partnering with local municipalities to conduct in-depth modeling and master planning, the County is ensuring that future drainage and resiliency investments are prioritized where they will provide the greatest benefit to residents and to strengthen local infrastructure.