Clarksville residents talk flooding concerns

Clark County

Discussion

August 18, 2009

Engineers estimate it could take $16 million to fix problems for town

BY SCOTT MCDANIEL The News and Tribune Tue Aug 18, 2009, 01:40 PM EDT

Clarksville Town Council members on Monday night were the latest area officials to hear about recent — and ongoing — flooding concerns from residents at public meetings.

It was the morning after the council’s last meeting Aug. 3 that several inches of rain fell on Southern Indiana in less than two hours, something meteorologists called historic.

“That exceeds anything we’ve seen here before,” said Steve Hall, with Stantec, a Jeffersonville-based stormwater consultant. “It’s the 11th-wettest year on record in this neck of the woods, and this [was] the most intense rain that has been seen in more than 100 years.”

Hall spoke to the council following its regularly scheduled meeting, as an open session took place for residents to voice concerns about continuing flooding problems the town faces. About 25 residents attended.

The consensus of those who spoke was that they understand that such heavy rain seems impossible to stop, but they’d like to see the town come up with more ways of trying — whether by doubling pumping capacity of pumps, making sure drains are clear or whatever the town can do to help the problem it faces.

One local man said his basement has flooded with every big rain, even after he cemented up its windows.

“I’m a grown man and I’m afraid of the rain,” he said.

Another man, Joe Weber, said that part of the Lincoln Heights subdivision is consistently a pond.

“At least three times this year, the water has run across my backyard probably 4 to 6 inches deep. It appears to be getting worse,” he said.

Local Realtor Lisa Feiock also lives in Lincoln Heights, and she said agrees that the flood problem is getting worse.

“I’ve lived in Clarksville all my life, and I do notice a difference in the way things drain,” she said.

The real estate agent said the results of not fixing the flooding problems are not just horrible for the homeowner, but also catastrophic to the housing market.

“I truly think we need to take care of our residences. A house that’s appraised to $175,000 has honestly lost all of its value if [flooding concerns] can’t be corrected,” she said. “I know you’re taking steps to do that, but it seems literally it has gotten worse rather than gotten better.”

Hall pointed to some National Weather Service numbers that support that opinion. He said figures show that while rains are becoming less frequent nationwide, they are becoming more intense in their occurrences.

Town engineers have created a proposal to deal with the issues, but upon hearing that there are more problem areas to consider, they suggested that the plan be re-evaluated to see if it’s still prudent.

Council President Greg Isgrigg faces flooding at his home as well, so he said he understands the concerns of the people.

“After this [session], we have to look again because [engineers] think that there are some more issues that we might be able to do something for,” he said.

The dilemma the town faces is that its engineers estimate it will take about $16 million to fix Clarksville’s flooding problems, and that’s money the town simply doesn’t have.

Isgrigg said Clarksville is still working to get some help from state and federal sources, but he said right now they appear to be at a standstill.

“Money is the key,” he said. “And we haven’t heard anything.”

IN OTHER BUSINESS

• The town council approved an amendment of an ordinance from 2000 regarding penalties on bad checks.

The original ordinance authorized a $20 additional fee if somebody wrote a bad check to the town. The amended ordinance authorizes a fee of $27.50, or 5 percent of the check amount, whichever is greater. That amount is capped at $250.