Jordan Creek alterations might move businesses

Jordan Creek Watershed comprises approximately 13 square miles with a total stream length of about 10.6 miles. It is roughly bordered by Highway 65, Commercial Street, Highway 13 and Grand Street.

If the study uncovers an environmentally acceptable plan that is economically justified and acceptable to the city, it will be presented to Congress for funding, and an agreement would be signed for the Corps and the city of Springfield to construct the project.

Todd Wagner, principal storm water engineer for the city of Springfield, said that at this point, options under study include the possibility of moving businesses or building larger channels to carry the water.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, under the leadership of project manager Julia Smethurst of the Corps’ Little Rock, Ark., office, has begun structural analyses of the downtown tunnels that carry the creek.

“They’ve completed a survey of over 700 buildings that are near the floodplain, that is, shooting the elevation of their floor so they know if they are above or below what we think the flood elevation is going to be for different storms,” Wagner said. “That allows them to begin to analyze the flood risk for different levels of storms.”

An economic analysis of the alternatives would then be considered. “If we were to build a project, how much benefit would the public get from that and flood risk reduction?” Wagner said.

The feasibility study is being paid for with a $1.5 million grant Congress gave to the Corps of Engineers, Wagner said.

“The study cost is estimated at $3 million and a local match of 50 percent has to be given,” he said. “So the city has $1.5 million that we’re matching it with, which is coming out of our storm water bond funds that have been approved for storm water improvements.”

Flooding

The feasibility study will dive into alternatives to solve potential flooding downtown, an effect of Jordan Creek having been altered with tunnels and culverts and, in some cases, filled in to restrict the creek’s movement over the years.

“What’s happened over time is the entire basin has been developed, and that means that water runs out much more quickly and gets to the creek faster,” Smethurst said. “Then at some point, if you get all the water at the same place at the same time, it goes up and increases the depth of flooding. That’s one of the things we’ll be addressing.”

Smethurst used a flood in July 2000 as an example. “Parts of Chestnut Expressway were under water,” she said of the flood, which caused about $1.85 million in damages. “If we did a project we would alleviate flooding rather than make it worse.”

The challenge, Wagner said, is determining the most cost-effective ways to accommodate potential flooding. “We’re at the point where it’s a pretty good flood risk down there and there’s not a whole lot that can be done with a lot of that land as long as there’s a big flood risk,” he said. “You take the flood risk away and there’s a lot more land down there that could be usable for redeveloping and some nicer things.”

Some alternatives are clearing the floodplain in the creek’s natural areas to restore it to a natural setting, carving out park-like areas, or making existing channels wider to accommodate the water flow, and adding walking trails and greenery, Wagner said.

Moving or altering existing buildings is a possibility. “When you don’t have enough room to open up the channel to make it possible to carry the flow, there may be some places where a structure would have to be relocated to have sufficient capacity that you can get the flow away from the businesses and residential areas, but it’s looked at in a holistic manner,” Smethurst said. “When it’s done, there are more benefits than there are costs.”

Stakeholders

The city is keeping landowners closest to the creek informed as the study progresses. About 110 properties are on the list.

“We’re having meetings with them so that they know if they’re at the heart of this study. (If) we’re talking about their property, they’ll be the first ones to know that,” Wagner said. “We’re trying to get them in up front and involve them, let them know what’s going on so that they don’t get surprised.”

Stove Works Lofts LLC at 505 N. Jefferson, on the northwest corner of Jefferson and Phelps, is on the list of landowners. Owner Jason Murray completed renovations to the building and began leasing the lofts last spring. He said he was under the impression his building wouldn’t be affected by improvements that might be made to accommodate the creek.

“I think it’s a great idea to open (Jordan Creek) up unless it goes through my building. I guess that’s where I stand on it. I guess I need to get more informed,” Murray said.

Wagner and Smethurst said that any recommendations wouldn’t be set in motion in the near future.

“The feasibility study itself is going to be over a four-year period, and then, if we have a recommended plan that is acceptable and the city and the Corps agree to go forward and fund these efforts, we’re looking at several years of design and that would be followed by construction,” Smethurst said.

[[In-content Ad]]