BAXTER - Forest Drive residents, who had water up to their front steps on this high-water year, heard options to fix the problem.
Solutions to flooding on Forest Drive in Baxter may be cutting a new drainage ditch.
The options and costs were presented to the Baxter City Council Tuesday as it met in a workshop session.
A ditch across the back lot line with a storm sewer extension to manage water issues on Forest Drive will take care of the flooding as water is drained.
The water will take a period of time to migrate underground, but this plan is believed to keep water from coming up to the front steps of homes as seen this high-water year. Trevor Walter, public works director, said this option would not tax the city's stormwater system or add to problems downstream.
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"We have to be very careful to balance the system," Walter said.
Estimated costs were $91,478 for the ditching option.
The proposed ditch would run all the way to the north behind Gander Mountain.
On a high ground water year like this, it will help, Walter said.
Concerns for a second option included draining water from the right-of-way without allowing for pretreatment of stormwater and losing the 100-year capacity of existing ditches. It would also add to current downstream problems at the former Pine Meadows golf course site and the Northland Arboretum.
The problem is an isolated wetland by Forest Drive, where the water has no where to go, especially when a wet year has ground water near the surface. Aric Welch, consulting engineer with Widseth Smith Nolting, said there was a ditch planned between Forest Drive and Fernwood Drive but never constructed.
The second option involves putting in piping on either side of Forest Drive in the ditches. Complications are the existing utilities in the ditch. The second option will send water to the city's section six stormwater outlet a lot faster than expected and without any stormwater filtration, Welch said. The cost for the second option is $104,000. And Welch said the ditch would still likely to be needed even with the piping.
Council member Todd Holman said he liked the first option with the ditch.
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Residents said they've had water as deep as 10 inches in their yard.
"I feel option one is the best for everybody who lives out there," said Council member Rob Moser, adding he didn't think that way initially but this will set the stage for future development as Holman noted.
The first option will allow water to drain slowly and filtrate through the soil.
Residents at the meeting said they'd be happy if the water drained in a couple of days. One noted the water has been so high they were concerned an elderly neighbor could actually trip and drown as he went out to get the mail.
"It gets a little ridiculous when you see Canadian Geese landing in the neighbor's yard," another said.
Moser said he's like to see this work done in 2015. Walter said the city has to look at how to pay for it.
"We'll keep you posted here," said Mayor Darrel Olson.
