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Scott Dr. families raise concerns about flooding
by Lisa McDonald · News · June 16, 2016


Scott Drive residents asked several times if a city creek restoration project would prevent flooding.


The answer given by city contractors at a Monday meeting in Lions Field: No.

Project coordinators Vanessa Fixmer-Oraiz and Brian Boelk, engineers with HBK, said the city wants to prevent further erosion of the creek, not specifically prevent flooding. The two facilitated a special meeting with residents to explain the upcoming project.

Erosion prevention will take the form of rock riffles and rip rap grouting.

Rip rap grouting introduces plants along the creek with strong root systems to strengthen the bank. Residents liked the idea of planting birch trees. Earlier developments removed many of the original trees along the creek, residents said.

Residents asked if a berm, a raised strip of land, had been considered to contain the water. Boelk said a berm would not be an initial consideration since it could cause the water to rise to a higher level, increasing flooding.

Residents also raised concerns about ground water damage to their homes. Fixmer-Oraiz said erosion prevention plans, as well as widening the creek, should help alleviate this problem.

Boelk said the next step is to meet with the city attorney to determine property delineations to let residents know exactly what property is theirs. This information will also let the contractors know by how much they can widen the creek.

Whatever preventative measures are implemented, Boelk and Fixmer-Oraiz said it will come with a 10-year maintenance plan to improve the success rate.

Residents asked where the money will come for the installation and maintenance plan. Boelk said financial details have not been determined yet.

Boelk and Fixmer-Oraiz told residents to send pictures of previous flooding to them so they can have a better feel for what measures to implement.

Pictures, questions, and comments can be sent to Boelk at bboelk@hbkengineering.com and Fixmer-Oraiz at voraiz@hbkengineering.com.

During the same Monday meeting with city contractors, residents brought up a sidewalk project near the creek that was started by developers. The residents said they were led to believe the sidewalk would eventually extend across the creek, but to date it remains unfinished.

A message left Tuesday with Pedersen Valley developer Jackie Henderson seeking comment was not returned prior to this newspaper’s Tuesday night deadline.

Residents said they would rather city creek restoration have a longer planning stage than a hasty installation, which could result in increased flooding.