TODDVILLE, Md. — In the small Dorchester County community of Toddville, rising tides have turned local roads into waterways, forcing some neighbors to get creative with how they get around.
For the past two days, high tides have flooded much of the area, making even short trips a challenge. One neighbor, Tod Tolley, decided the best way to reach his local convenience store was by canoe.
"I needed a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread and beer," said Tolley.
That trip took him to Elijah’s General Store. It's the go-to spot in Toddville, named after the owner’s young son. Store owner David Beverley said Tolley’s unconventional commute caught some attention but made sense given the conditions.
"He was the only one that took a canoe," said Beverley. "Everybody else ventured out either by driving trucks. You couldn’t drive a car up in this direction."
Much of Toddville has been submerged in saltwater this week. Floodwaters have covered front yards and stretched across long stretches of roadway, creating safety concerns for many residents.
Beverley said the worsening flooding has become more than just an inconvenience. It’s a growing threat to the town’s older population.
"There’s a large elderly population, and they currently don’t even have a basic ambulance that could get you out of here in a tidal event like that," he said.
Residents are calling for help from county and state officials, but Dorchester County Council President Lenny Pfeffer said long-term fixes are financially out of reach.
Pfeffer said the county is maintaining drainage ditches as best as it can, but larger projects, such as building a seawall, could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
He added that Maryland’s recent budget deficit makes it unlikely that state emergency funds will become available in the near future.
For now, residents in Toddville are left to navigate the rising tides, sometimes literally.