Residents’ efforts ease flooding in Adams Creek in Sellersburg

Clark County

Discussion

August 11, 2009

Council president says problem stems from back up at Utica-Sellersburg and Bean roads

By Scott McDaniel The News and Tribune Tue Aug 11, 2009, 01:17 PM EDT

As yet another rainstorm echoed from the roof of Sellersburg Town Hall on Monday night, the talk inside was optimistic regarding the problematic water blockage in Adams Creek.

Mark Laughner had attended the past two town council meetings to explain the negative impact recent heavy rains have been having in that area, including the flooding of his basement. The problem, he believed, was a significant amount of debris in the creek blocking the water flow.

Since the last council meeting, Laughner and neighbors spent hours cutting and clearing debris from the creek. Following the efforts, he was able to report improving creek conditions to the council Monday.

“It has made a difference. On June 26, I got 41⁄2 inches of rain. The water was out of the bank and in my basement.

“Last week, I measured 41⁄2 inches of rain at my house in two hours — same amount of time, same amount of rain — and it wasn’t even close to being out of the bank,” Laughner said.

The town temporarily offered to help take away debris once removed from the creek, but the project has primarily been a self-help endeavor by impacted residents.

Laughner said he spent 25 hours cutting and cleaning debris from the creekbed, and there is still much work to be done, but in just a few weeks the difference is noticeable.

“I think one of the reasons is all the work that we’ve done, and other places I know have been cleaned out too,” he said. “I hope that that continues all the way from State Road 60 all the way through here.”

Council President Brian Meyer commended Laughner and other helping residents for their work thus far, and said that even after the creek is clean, it will be important to monitor it.

“I think once we get on top of it and get all the debris cleaned out, to stay on top it should be pretty easy,” Meyer said.

To help out, he said the inmate work program at the Clark County Sheriff’s Department soon will go clean the area some more.

He acknowledged that in the big picture, Adams Creek is only one part of the town’s flooding woes.

“The main concern we have right now is the back up starts at Utica-Sellersburg and Bean roads, and it backs up into town,” he said. “Basically, these people are being affected by something that’s happening two miles down stream from them.”

And the battle to fix the backup problems is going to be a long one, he said.

“We’d like to say that we’ll have this done next week, but it’s not going to happen. It’s a major undertaking,” he said.

In other business

• Resident Adam Koch questioned who gives approval for certain projects in Sellersburg, including the railroad crossing that is without flashing lights and barricades on Bringham Drive, the drainage along U.S. 31, the alterations of property around his farm and the elevation drop of Silver Creek at Bean Road and Watson/Sellersburg Road.

The council did not address the issues Koch raised.

• Mike Whalen presented the council with an insurance review. The council decided to renew the town’s insurance with Alliance Municipal Insurance.

“Even though the premiums went up, it was a flat increase. The policies remain pretty much as they did last year,” Whalen said.

• The town accepted the lowest bid of $144,300 from Team Contracting for the enhancement project at Perry Crossing Road.

• Meyer asked Chief of Police Russ Whelan if the police department would help animal control with the removal of a several skunks that are nested near West Utica Road.

Whelan grinned and answered, “I’ll try anything once.”