New East Ridge Flood Plan On Fast Track

Any predictions of heavy rain will send shivers down the backs of many people in East Ridge, whose backs have been broken by last month's flooding.  Apparently, enough is enough, for East Ridge administrators.  Tonight, we have discovered a task force the city has put together, to come up with a plan to deal with flooding, and we know what they're proposing.  Our NewsChannel 9 investigation has uncovered a new East Ridge flood plan that's now got a much shorter time period for completion, than first thought..

Ron Neal has lived in his East Ridge home 50 years.. Harvard Street is his front yard..Spring Creek is the backyard.  Flooding almost a month ago is still visible in his basement, as he showed our camera the water line on the basement wall.  "That's how high the water got down here," he says.  He's heard talk over the years about floodwalls and levees.  "I'd like to see the actual plan and know what's going on," Mr. Neal says, "but something needs to be done."

A month ago, East Ridge Councilman Larry Sewell recalled the federal government's offer 20 years ago, to help with flooding.  "I think (the government) had allotted us about 25 million dollars at the time," he says, "but we couldn't come up with the million dollars we had to have, to get that money."  It would also have taken up to 20 years to get it done.

But times have changed..  Our investigative work has now uncovered another plan to get the flooding under control in East Ridge, in a much shorter time.  We've discovered that the city of East Ridge has put together a task force, that's now working on a flood control plan.  "I think the price tag at this poing is unknown," says City Manager William Whitson, who also says, the plan will again, include federal, as well as local dollars.

We've discovered, the 3-stage plan consists of either a levee or a concrete wall to be built alongside both South Chickamauga and Spring Creeks.  "I kind of like the concept of a levee," says Whitson, "because it allows more usuable land at the end of the process."  Whitson says, it will be up to engineers to decide which flood control method to use.  No matter which one is chosen, land will be taken along the creek from Ron Neal and other property owners.  Neal says that's fine, but says, the city better do its homework, because he knows his property better than they do.  "They would have to dig way down to solid rock, because this ground is really porous," he says, "and if you just put up a wall or a levee, water would come up out of the ground right in front of it."

So, how long will it take to complete the flood control system?.  "I can tell you it will take years," says Mr. Whitson, "I would liken it to a marathon and not a sprint."  He also tells us, instead of 20 years, the solution to the flooding in East Ridge, could be from 2 to 5 years away.  The next meeting of the East Ridge Flood Task Force will be November 2nd.  Their recommendations will be sent to FEMA, which will send back a final plan by the spring of next year.

Depend On Us, to follow this flood control plan for East Ridge, and bring you updates when we get them..