‘We can’t live here anymore’: Alabama property owner in 4-year battle with rising water

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WKRG) — Sandbag after sandbag, Tammi Wamstad is building a wall to try and hold back the water she said has been flooding her property at the end of Wood Glen Trace for the last four years.

“More and more water comes through,” Wamstad said. “It never stops. Just steady through here and through our streets.”

Wamstad said the problem is so bad that she and her husband have had to move from the place she has called home for the last 17 years.

“Our insulation has dropped because of moisture,” Wamstad said. “We’ve got mold in our house. Our house has sunk. We can’t live here anymore.”

She believes the water is a result of overdevelopment on the south side of Canal Road.

“This is not where it belongs,” Wamstad said. “This is not where it should come through.”

City councilman Jeff Silvers toured the area Wednesday and spoke with Wamstad and other neighbors.

Silvers said the city has done everything it can do because the property surrounding the neighborhood is all owned by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or Gulf State Park.

In a release posted to the City of Orange Beach Facebook page, city officials said they cannot proceed with a permitting process for the wetlands until the necessary documentation is submitted, including a “wetlands determination prepared by a certified Wetland Scientist.”

So in the meantime, Wamstad said she will add more sandbags to the almost 500 that already surround her property and keep trying to divert the water she said was never supposed to be there in the first place.

You can read the complete statement from the city below:

“In response to concerns about drainage issues at the east end of Wood Glen Trace, the City has been actively investigating and monitoring the situation. This area borders a natural wetlands system of approximately 70 acres, which drains westward toward its outfall near a cul-de-sac. Based on all available data and mapping resources, these wetlands have existed for as far back as the City’s records go. Contrary to some suggestions, the wetlands were not created by the City of Orange Beach but are naturally occurring.

“As part of our investigation, the City has spent considerable time studying drainage patterns and conducting drone flights before and after major rain events. These efforts were aimed at better understanding what may be contributing to the issue. To date, the City has not observed any failure of the detention ponds at either Broken Sound or Gulf Stream Townhomes; both appear to be functioning as designed.

“One theory proposed is that fish seen swimming near the Wood Glen Trace cul-de-sac originated from discharges by the Broken Sound and Gulf Stream developments. However, the City’s drone footage shows that the wetlands retain water year-round due to natural topography and water-holding depressions—conditions that are further supported by the presence of beavers, which help maintain water levels. During significant rainfall events, this wetland system naturally flushes, which can cause aquatic life, including fish, to flow out of the wetlands.

“The City acknowledges that adverse drainage conditions exist at this location. However, this issue is a result of the area’s natural topography and not due to any actions by the City of Orange Beach. Unfortunately, the location sits at the natural discharge point for this wetlands system.

“The City is obligated to ensure that all development complies with state and federal regulations concerning wetlands. Until the necessary documentation is submitted, including a wetlands determination prepared by a certified Wetland Scientist, the City cannot proceed with any permitting process.”