Rolling Hills Residents Urge Levee RepairsWarsaw residents have become quite familiar with flooding over the past two years.
Heavy rainfall caused the flooding of lakes across the county in early 2008 and in March this year.
A report issued by V3, an engineering firm out of Illinois, in August 2008 suggests that another year of heavy rainfall could lead to massive flooding of Center Lake, which could possibly damage businesses and flood parts of Ind. 15.The Center Lake Conservation Association has been working with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the City of Warsaw, along with other agencies, to address the flooding issue along Center Lake.
The main issue is a levee that runs between state wetlands and the Center Lake channel.
The levee was breached during this year's flooding, and it took volunteers, along with the help of Emergency Management, to keep the flooding under control.
The levee, built sometime in the 1950s, is eroding because of trees and plants growing over it almost like ivy.
Center Lake's 100-year flood plain is 810 feet. The lake also has to contend with runoff from Pike Lake, a lake whose 100-year flood plain is 812 feet.
In V3's memo to Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins and members of the CLCA, they recommend that Center Lake be isolated from larger stormwater drainage areas to avoid flooding.
This includes closing the Pike Lake drain into Center Lake.
Wiggins said the city is aware of the problem and waiting on some recommendations from the DNR.
"Obviously, we're concerned," said Wiggins. "We've had flooding the past two years. It's definitely something we're looking at."
Lyle Enyeart, Indiana DNR, said he plans on taking a representative from the water division of the DNR out of Indianapolis on a tour of the levee soon.
"If that levee breached completely it'd go across (Ind.) 15," said Enyeart of the flooding that took place in March.
Enyeart estimated that if the levee breached and it caused flooding, that two feet of water could flood businesses along Ind. 15 on the east side of Center Lake and go across Ind. 15.
Central Park and the parking lot of Zimmer's headquarters also could experience flooding.
Troy Turley, president of the CLCA, said he has been working with the city and DNR to resolve the issue.
Enyeart recently spoke to the CLCA during their annual meeting.
Turley and his wife, Elizabeth, who live in the Rolling Hills subdivision, said they hope that people are made aware of the potential flooding issues.
"We realize there is a lot of red tape involved in something like this," said Elizabeth Turley. "And we've gotten a lot of cooperation from the city and DNR. We just want people to know what's going on because I don't think a lot of people do."
Enyeart said his hope is that the levee can have all the brush on it cleared off and have it raised a foot.
DNR is expected to give the city recommendations within the next couple of weeks.
