A seven-month engineering study to determine the best way to address flooding and standing water concerns in the Armuth Acres and Northcliff subdivisions has been completed.
But the funding gap that has hampered this project for decades continues to grow.
While the recommended plan has a total price tag of $4.7 million, the maximum amount available through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) is only $600,000, according to funding consultant Trena Carter of Administrative Resources Association.
While the Bartholomew County Commissioners have agreed to put up $3,850 to match the OCRA grant, Carter says it’s “still a drop in the bucket” when compared to total costs.
“The remaining question is: Where will the rest of the money come from?” asked Commissioner Rick Flohr.
From the study conducted by engineering consultants Strand and Associates, four options were presented Monday that are all designed to keep about half of the 102 homes northwest of Clifford from sustaining flood damage or standing water during heavy periods of rain.
Each of the options was rated in six categories — level of service; feasibility of construction and potential obstacles; environmental impact; cost; land acquisition and operation/maintenance, Strand engineer Steve Ruble said.
All options call for collecting standing or flooding storm water in the same way, Ruble said. It includes ditch re-grading on Keith Drive, the installation of several storm sewers within the subdivision, and the creation of four different locations near the northwest corner of Armuth Acres to pick up offsite drainage, he said. All options will result with the collection of storm water in a controlled area near the southwest corner of the subdivision.
Where options differ is in regard to how the water will be moved out of the area, Ruble said.
The recommended solution calls for routing the storm water west, along County Road 600N, until it intersects with County Road 100E, Ruble said. At that point, a drainage pipe would be installed in a farm field that provides an indirect route to the Flatrock River, he said.
Construction costs on this option are expected to reach $3.9 million, but when soft costs (engineering, land acquisition services, easements, environmental reviews, etc.) are added, the total price rises to $4.7 million, Ruble said.
“This is the lowest cost of all the alternatives,” the Strand engineer said.
A second option is essentially the same as the first, except that it calls for a direct western path to the river, Ruble said. While this creates a shorter distance through the farm field, workers would be required to dig as deep at 30 feet into a hill to install the drainage pipe, he said. That is a significant reason why the total cost of the second option is $4.9 million.
There is a third alternative that would carry the storm water to the Clifford Drain. However, it would require installing two main drain lines in order to reach the Clifford Drain, bringing the total cost to about $5.4 million, Ruble said.
A fourth option requiring a pumping station to move storm water to the Flatrock River was presented. However, it’s not being considered due to the projected total cost of $13.1 million, he said.
Monday’s presentation came seven months after Bartholomew County received a $34,650 planning grant through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) to come up with options and a recommendation.
While this week’s presentation included a public hearing, residents are still not allowed to attend county governmental meetings in person, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“But (Strand) formed a stakeholder committee and had representatives from the neighborhood,” Ruble said. “We were able to get a very comprehensive understanding of the issues.”
While the complete plan will be sent to the state, no action regarding Monday’s recommendation can be taken until funding is obtained, commissioner Carl Lienhoop said.
“We’ll take further steps as matters come to fruition,” Carter said.
