Study outlines stormwater concerns, solutions

Estimated $1.5 million needed for Stadium/Satinwood relief

Heavy rains in August 2016 caused flash flooding in Mid-Missouri, which damaged Washington Park in Jefferson City and area homes, and prompted residents to seek stormwater drainage solutions.
Heavy rains in August 2016 caused flash flooding in Mid-Missouri, which damaged Washington Park in Jefferson City and area homes, and prompted residents to seek stormwater drainage solutions.

If there is an intersection or neighborhood in Jefferson City more desperate for stormwater relief than Stadium Boulevard and Satinwood Drive, Public Works Director Matt Morasch hasn't found it.

Morasch presented a case study Thursday at the city's Public Works and Planning Committee meeting of the documented flooding at the Stadium and Satinwood watershed - as well as what needs to be done to rectify the problem and how much that would cost taxpayers.

His study, a preface to a $30 million to $36 million bond issue potentially on the August ballot, found total flood control and resiliency costs for just the Stadium and Satinwood watershed flood control projects - with no maintenance included - would require at least $1.5 million. That's one neighborhood flood fix among many on the city's stormwater to-do list.

To put that in perspective, Morasch told the committee, consider the annual Jefferson City budget now carries a line item protecting $380,000 per year, total, for stormwater projects.

Here's how Morasch reached the $1.5 million estimate: upsize Stadium/Satinwood culvert, $400,000; upsize Cedar Hill culvert, $250,000; restore and improve drainage ways throughout the watershed, $250,000; and construct regional detention/water quality basins at two locations, $600,000.

Those are potential solutions to problems at the Stadium and Satinwood intersection - the arterial street intersection floods and becomes impassable, the Cedar Hill collector street floods and becomes impassable, and stormwater backs up and floods homes, businesses and yards.

"A sustainable and flood-resilient stormwater collection system will require at least a $2 million annual funding program," Morasch said.

The case study stems from the devastating flash floods that inundated Stadium and Satinwood and many other neighborhoods last August and September.

A stormwater utility fund is a dedicated source of money to specifically fund stormwater services that cannot be diverted, Morasch said.

According to Morasch's presentation, Jefferson City's need for capital funding relates to:

Replacement of neighborhood stormwater collection systems in an orderly fashion that meets community expectations;

Flood resiliency projects such as upsizing culverts to keep roads from flooding and promote public safety;

Regional detention areas to support flood control;

Bridge maintenance and replacement;

Maintenance and restoration of neighborhood stream corridors to improve stormwater flow;

Infrastructure enhancements in neighborhoods to improve stormwater collection;

Cost-sharing programs to stabilize neighborhoods by bringing structures into compliance with stormwater codes.

The Satinwood and Stadium drainage area amounts to 685 acres, 14,540 linear feet of drainage pipes, and 146 stormwater inlets with 30,835 feet or 5.84 miles of open creeks and streams. Current detention status includes two publicly owned basins, four small site basins that are privately maintained, and seven basin locations that have been identified for future development, with more possible.

In those 685 acres, there are 700 or more family homes, 60 or more apartments and condos, four large suburban churches, two state-owned parcels, two hospital and medical campuses, a nursing home and other group homes, Cedar Hill Elementary School, commercial properties including grocery stores and offices, and many undeveloped parcels affected by the flooding issue.

Councilman Larry Henry, who chairs the Public Works and Planning Committee, announced earlier this month he would captain the committee and campaign to pass the stormwater initiative. Henry and his future campaign team will have ample time to promote the stormwater utility, he said.