GREENSBORO, N.C. — One day earlier this year, the clouds had started to form, and the forecast called for showers late in the day and into the next day. The threat of a sizeable storm was coming, and Jerry and Elaine Huddy were a bit nervous.
“I don’t like it when it rains,” Elaine Huddy said.
The couple never worried much about the weather until about a year ago when they noticed the embankment in their backyard seemingly eroding. There is a creek behind the home and Elaine said she had recently seen several trees fall over near the banks.
Elaine tells News 2 that recent rains have carved away at the banks, toppling the trees and slowly eating away at the slope behind her home.
“I’m concerned enough to try and save our home,” Elaine said.
Earlier this year, she hired a landscaper to install a French drain to keep the water from soaking the area behind her home. She said the ground is often wet and loose and fears it will continue to erode, putting her home at risk.
"I don't like this at all," Elaine said.
The home is at least 100 feet from the creek, but Elaine is still nervous after what she has seen in the past year.
More neighbors affected by the creek
Her concerns are shared by her neighbor Jesse Dugenske. His home is next door and has already had issues that he believes are related to the creek and the constant moisture of the land.
“With land getting weak, it is causing everything in our house to lean this way,” Dugenske said.
He and his wife have already spent thousands on repairs to minimize the problems. The creek itself is pretty small but Elaine and Dugenske say when there is heavy rain, the trickling creek becomes a fast-moving river.
Elaine and Dugenske point out how the water has started to carve and eat away at the slope below their homes.
“It’s scary, it’s scary watching it and what to do if it ends up down (in the creek),” Elaine said.
Neighbors are concerned new development is the cause
Both homeowners believe the reason for the sudden shift in water patterns and the recent problems is because of a new development put in upstream. Land once covered with trees is now paved with cement and lined with homes.
“There is no doubt that is why the creek is so much bigger at times,” Elaine said.
The developer has followed all the guidelines put in place by the city, which includes digging a retention pond to catch and help distribute the flow of rainwater into the creek.
The City of High Point Water Management team has inspected the catch pond and inspected it prior to and after it was built. Officials tell News 2 the pond is working as designed.
“The difference between pre and post-development is based on runoff coefficient, so the amount of water going into stream effectively should not increase,” said Trevor Spencer with the city of High Point.
No answers for the erosion
The city has no way to monitor the rainwater that flows into the creek, so it’s unclear if the creek is experiencing more flow in recent months, and if it is, why.
Tracy Dick lives further downstream from Elaine and Dugenske and told News 2 the creek has started to erode the banks in several spots on her property.
“We have to use a tractor (to pull dirt from some spots) to build it up,” Dick said.
Dick has lived in the home well before the new development went in and said once those homes went up the flow of the creek changed.
“That was about 25 acres they cleared, all the rain now comes to our house because we are at bottom of the hill,” Dick said.
The city tells News 2 it will monitor the situation but at this time believes the retention pond is working as designed and is not the cause of any problems homeowners see with the creek. Elaine tells us she plans to pay close attention to any changes this coming year and will not hesitate to make the city aware if things get worse.