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'It was just chaos' | Floods sweep mud and debris through family's backyard in Matthews
A Matthews family is concerned a cleared, vacant lot next to their house could be making flood damage to their property much worse.
MATTHEWS, N.C. — A Matthews family is still dealing with the effects of heavy rain and floods from over the weekend. The homeowners are looking to county and town officials for help after mud and debris from a nearby vacant lot poured into their backyard and pool.
“It was just chaos,” April Nixon recalled about the river of brown water flowing through her and her husband Sayer’s property. “The kids were screaming, it was lightning and thundering, and [Sayer] was out here and I was like, ‘Come inside this isn’t safe.’ I was terrified.”
The couple said their backyard and pool were flooded with muck and debris twice in one weekend, but they don’t just blame the rainfall. A vacant lot covered in clay and mud next door is uphill from their backyard.
Cell phone video April Nixon took during the storm shows the river of brown water flowing from the lot to their backyard.
There is also a storm drain in between the two properties that Sayer Nixon said was clogged with debris. He spent the day clearing the drain and was hopeful it could help mitigate rainfall in the future. However, the family worried more erosion and flooding could happen and they want the landowner or county to do something before more rain comes.
The Nixons said they’ve spent thousands of dollars and days of work to clean up the mess but there’s still plenty of damage that needs to be fixed.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services told WCNC Charlotte it’s aware of the Nixons’ problem and is looking into it.
For any resident worried about flooding, John Wendel with the agency said storm drains like the one by the Nixons’ house do offer protection.
“The best thing you can do is clear out the storm drain in front of your house or near your house,” Wendel said.
To report flooding or debris, residents can call 311. Wendel suggested that all homeowners should consider flood insurance, regardless of whether they live in a flood plain.
WCNC Charlotte reached out to the owner of the vacant residential lot but has not heard back. The Town of Matthews informed WCNC Charlotte property owners are required to install drainage or flood mitigation during construction and town officials review all plans and set requirements for construction projects that are 20,000 square feet or larger.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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