Delmarva Highways :: The Flood of 2006

Beginning on June 22, 2006, and continuing over several days, central portion of the Delmarva Peninsula was deluged with an unimaginable amount of rain. Given the already saturated ground from rain that came a few days before, area streams, creeks, and rivers overflowed their banks causing widespread damage. Millions of dollars in damage was caused in just a matter of moments, as flood waters washed out roads and highways, flooded peoples homes, and undermined building foundations.

From a transportation standpoint, several major thoroughfares were closed because of damage or flooding. Several sections of Delaware Route 20 were closed in Sussex County, along with US Highway 13 through Seaford and US Highway 13A through blades. In Dorchester County, Maryland, highways that were affected were Maryland Route 16 near East New Market, and Maryland Route 307 near Williamsburg.

Roads and highways were not the only transportation outlets effected. Several railroad trestles were washed away, along with several culverts, leaving railroad lines suspended in mid air, or in a couple cases, causing the tracks to twist and collapse into the flood waters.

The events of this flood will be the tale of many locals on the Delmarva peninsula for years to come. The photos on this page will give a visual account of some of the damage done in those floods.

Near the village of Rhodesdale, Maryland, a section of Palmers Mill Road, a rural road maintained by Dorchester County, was washed out. Built on an earthen embankment, metal drainage pipes ran under the roadway to serve a small stream leading off of Marshyhope Creek. The force of the overflowing creek undermined the embankment that was supporting the roadway, causing it to collapse.

	A dirt barrier, 2 traffic barrels, and a small barrier, warn motorist of the washout.
	A look at the washout from the southern end of the washout.
	A close-up of what remains of the northern end of the road.
	A look at some of the trees that were uprooted, along with what's left of a guardrail.so
	A look at what's left of the roadway at the southern end of the washout.
	Chunks of asphalt and concrete, along with sections of guardrail, lie strewn about and buried amongst mud and water.
	A close-up of the northern end of the washout.
	A close-up of the southern end of the washout. You can see remains of utility cables that had been buried alongside the roadway.
	The remains of the steel pipe that ran under the roadway, providing drainage for the mill stream.
	Water and dirt that has collected in the washed out area. The dirt came from the damage embankment.

Another section of Palmers Mill Road near the village of Willamsburg, Maryland was also washed out. Again, sitting atop an earthen embankment with drainage pipes running underneath the roadway, the force of the flood waters undermined the embankment, ripping the roadway to shreds.

	A view from the southern end of the washout.
	A close-up of the northern end of the washout.
	Pieces of the roadway now lay in water and buried in mud at the bottom of the washout.
	Steel drainage pipes now lay in the woods. These pipes used to be buried under the roadway.
	A close-up of the southern end of the washout.

Near the town of Hurlock, Maryland, rural Medford Road also took damage from the flood waters. A small section of the Dorchester County maintained road was washed out when waters from a small pond overflowed.

	An overview shot of the washed out area, taken from the southern end.
	A closer view of the washed out area. You can see where the roadbed was just torn away from it's foundation.
	A look at the northern end of the washed out area.
	Ripped up trees and dirt.
	A destroyed utility pole.
	What's left of the drainage pipe that ran under Medford Road.
	The culprit that caused the flood... this small pond.

Another Dorchester County maintained road, Cokesbury Road near the village of Reliance, Maryland also took severe damage from a nearby mill pond.

	An overview shot of the damage, taken from the eastern end of the washout.
	A close-up of the damaged area.
	The force of the water from the mill pond washed out the embankment, ripping apart the roadway... leaving the guardrail suspended in mid air.
u39506956-dukesc	A look at a second washed out area.
	A piece of the roadway hangs over the water.

(Former)

Built as Maryland Route 531 in the 1920s, this road, which is now maintained by Dorchester County, serves as a cut-off route between Reliance, Maryland and Galestown, Maryland. In the area of Galestown Millpond, a causeway was constructed. That same causeway took severe damage when waters from the mill pond flooded the area. It has since been severed from traffic at both ends, with severe damage throughout it's remaining pieces.

	A look at the washed out northern end of the causeway, showing the now destroyed intersection with Lake Shore Drive and Galestown - Delaware Line Road.
	A stop sign stands guard where Lake Shore Drive and Galestown - Reliance Road used to intersect.
	A look at the northern end of the damaged area.
	A look at the collapsed roadway exposes the original concrete roadway, which was constructed when this was state maintained Maryland Highway 531.
	A look through uprooted trees shows the severed portion of Lake Shore Drive.
	Uprooted trees now lay across a collapsed portion of the causeway.
	Downed utility cables lay on another collapsed section of the causeway.
	Trees and mud, along with pieces of guardrail lay strewn about on the remains of the causeway.
	Another collapsed section.
	Cracks in the pavement.
	More sections of guardrail lay about the roadway.
	A larger washed out area.
	A look at the southern end of the damaged area... taken from the now severed causeway.
	Shots of the now severed causeway, taken from the southern end.
	A look of the entire now-severed portion of the causeway.
	Flood waters ripped through a nearby forest... uprooting trees and leaving nothing but mud.
	Sections of guardrail were ripped apart and stretches of pavement were peeled up from the roadbed due to the forces of the flood waters.
	Looking back toward the northern end of the now severed causeway.
	The now destroyed intersection with Galestown - Delaware Line Road.
	Collapsed pavement and uprooted trees and bushes are all that's left at the northern end of the causeway.

All Photos Taken July 20 and July 26, 2006 by Corey Dukes