Christine emailed the following: I am writing to ask if you could give me an update on what is being done about the storm water management around my property. Spring is coming soon and we inevitably get hit with a lot of rain and runoff.
Rick Alexander forwarded the following email: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Rick Rhodenbaugh <rjradman@sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, Mar 18, 2014 at 11:36 AM Subject: Storm drain issues To: engineering@bloomington.in.gov I recently moved to Bloomington, 1101 W. Yellowwood Ct. There is a city storm drain that dumps a river of water from the south side of my property all the way the way to the other end, then continues into the neighbors yard. As you can see in the attached photos, this is causing a great deal of soil erosion, property damage and negatively affecting the value of my home. When I purchased the home, I was told there were no issues with water. But I am now told by neighbors the previous owners spent a lot of time and money trying to repair the damage. I do not have the time or the money to throw at what seems like a city issue. Please let me know how we can resolve this. Thank you, Rick. Rhodenbaugh
The property owner, Rega Wood, is concerned about the drainage coming from the north and crossing onto her property. The existing inlets in Rose Ave. cannot handle the amount of water they receive.
Dear Mr. Howard, Mr. Peden, Mr. Meyers, and Mr. Rollo, We are the property-owners at 2017 E Marilyn Dr. abutting Mr. Howard’s residential construction project at 1110 S. Covenanter Dr (http://howardshomeimprovement.com). We're writing because we're concerned about the addition of gravel this past week to Mr. Howard’s lot, raising it several feet above our property, creating what looks sure to become a pond of run-off water along the eastern edge of our property and causing likely flooding at the southern edge. A marshy meadow that used to collect water on Mr. Howard’s property has been shifted onto our property. In order to get a sense of the impacts and the city’s review of them, we are hoping to talk with Mr. Howard and a city inspector before further work proceeds. We are also concerned that the property line has not been staked and our property is being used for construction staging, with considerable removal of vegetation and possible spreading of gravel across the property line. Here is a rough calculation of the drainage runoff from Mr. Howard’s property onto ours: The raised area is 30’+60’+10’=100' X 12’ = 1200 sq ft (at the side) and 22’ + 12’ = 34’ X 10’ = 340’ sq ft (at the back) = 1540 sq ft (total). At an average 5” rainfall in May, that would create 4,800 gallons or 640 cu ft of runoff. Annually, rainfall is about 50” so the runoff would be about 48,000 gallons or 6400 cu ft per year. But with climate change we suspect those amounts are going to increase (rainfall for every month this year has exceeded the norm). We arrived at this estimate using the USGS rainfall calculator: https://water.usgs.gov/edu/activity-howmuchrain.html And we used rainfall estimates from: https://www.weather.gov/ind/Precip_scorecard_IND For the raised area of Mr Howard’s property, we used the schematics attached below. We also have attached photographs showing the construction staging on our property, and the effect of the land build-ups on the east side of our property line. Thank you for your help, Ben and Jenny Robinson
Water run off from several lots behind me is crating an erosion of mud that is affecting my property.
I received an email from Ms. Henderson stating the following: "Hi Jane. I want to post you on the condition of the storm water drain beehive in the City's drainage easement within the Brigs Bend cul de sac in Hyde Park. Specifically, I want to bring to your attention to the erosion around the beehive at the northeast corner of the two lots you looked at last year (2712 Olcott and 2737 E. Brigs Bend). On September 10, we had another heavy rain that created a flash flood in our back yard, flooding nearly up to our deck and again flooding Ginny Field’s storage unit under the house (the debris line on her door was just below the 25" mark, the highest level we’ve seen the water rise to). As you can see from the attached photos, the ground around the beehive is cratering as a result of the water erosion. This area is of increasing concern with regard to the potential hazard it presents to children, landscapers, and others who go near. Would you be able to take a look at it and advise? Also, could you please take a look at two small but growing holes (and a third depressed area that seems to be sinking) in the south corner of our lots near the tall, narrow green cable box. We are concerned that the this may be indicative of soil washing out along the storm water drain line. Again, your advice is appreciated."
I have a problem on my property with drainage. The drainage of my property runs off naturally into my neighbor's yard. His address is 3514 Morningside Drive. When a storm comes, his back yard pools and remains there for a few days until it is absorbed into the ground. I discussed with one of the neighbors how this might be resolved and volunteered to help pay for pipes that would carry the water that pools in their yard to the ditch along Morningside Drive. The neighbor didn't think that would work. Now they have dug out a deeper hole in their yard and are installing a "Sponge Garden." My understanding is that this will retain water and will not allow my yard to drain. This area has backed up into my basement in the past and flooded it. It seems to me that this will occur more easily with the installment of the "Sponge Garden." I appeal to the city of Bloomington to send engineers to come and see if there is some way that water can be drained into the ditch along Morningside Drive.
I received the following email: Last year, you helped me and my neighbors deal with some of the water runoff plaguing our yards by installing a new storm sewer manhole. At the time, you mentioned the possibility of adding another slotted drain higher up on the alley to deal with the water that comes down the alley and into my yard. Do you think this is a possibility in the near future? In April, my backyard again was badly flooded with water coming in two streams: down the alley and from Woodlawn. BoI have discussed with Thrasher Landscaping possible remedies. They would involve adding pipes that would attach to the city pipes in my front yard. I am contacting you to see if this is possible. We need to be careful to aid damaging the existing city pipes that run through my side yard. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks again for the help you provided last summer.
Ms Dwyer contacted me last week and I met her at her house this morning. She is concerned about a sinkhole forming in her yard again and the amount of water that ponds on the south side of her house. This is a historical problem. We made some storm improvements in the alley east of her last year and hoped that would help solve some of her problems but she still has issues and would like to know what she can do. I told her I have asked our crews to video the storm sewer that runs along her yard to make sure the pipe is sound. I told her I would also check our sanitary sewer videos to make sure the sanitary sewer is sound. I explained I would be out of the office for about a week and would get back with her in a couple weeks to let her know what we have found.