Officials: Flood Control Proposal not Worth the Money in Indiana Town

April 22, 2013

A project recommended by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after 2008 floods caused about $500 million in damage in Bartholomew County won’t help enough to prevent a recurrence to justify its nearly $8 million cost, city leaders say.

The corps recommended the city build a $7.9 million, 28-acre retention basin on Haw Creek after the city sought its input through a program that provides federal help on local flood control projects. But city officials say the project would have done little to reduce the levels of the 2008 flooding that killed two people and would have limited impact on smaller floods.

“The return for that amount of money means we most likely won’t proceed,” Mayor Kristen Brown told The Republic.

Jeff Bergman, director of the city/county planning department, said the federal program only studies one waterway and has a cap on costs, which limits the projects that qualify. The 28-acre basin was the only one that fit the criteria, he said.

The flooding in June 2008 occurred after up to 10 inches of rain fell on saturated soils north of the county. The water flowed south and forced Haw Creek, Flat Rock River and East Fork White River out of their banks. Haw Creek, which flows southwest through the city, caused much of the damage within the city limits.

While the basin would reduce the level of a 25-year flood by two-tenths of a foot in some areas, it would only reduce a 500-year flood event by half that.

“The good news is that they found what is a viable project. The bad news is that you spend $7 million and you reduce flooding by a tenth of a foot,” Bergman said. “It is a lot of money for some fairly minimal results.”

Bergman said he recognized that any relief could have helped some of the 2008 flood victims.

“I know there were a number of people in the flood of 2008 where a tenth of a foot made a big difference for them,” Bergman said. “It is the difference between your basement filling with water and that water getting up onto the first floor of your house. I don’t want to be dismissive of the tenth of a foot.”

The report said a larger, 85-acre retention basin would do more to reduce flood waters but would cost at least $28 million. It estimated that the larger basin would reduce a 25-year flood level by 8 inches to more than a foot in some areas and reduce a 500-year flood by almost 10 inches.

Bergman said the city is still discussing its options with the corps. The city has until the end of the month to decide whether to pursue the basin proposal to get in the corps’ next funding cycle.

“I think the concern would be, how best can we spend our money?” Bergman said. “Is there a better option for that money?”

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Topics Flood Indiana

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