FORT SMITH -- The city of Fort Smith has developed plans to address some of the flooding issues that became more apparent during the 2019 Arkansas River flood and heavy rainfall in the past year.
The projects are part of a five-year capital improvement plan for streets, bridges and associated drainage.
City Engineering Department Director Stan Snodgrass presented the proposals to the Board of Directors at a study session on Oct. 13. The board will decide on the overall capital improvement plan at a later date.
The overall five-year capital improvement plan-- which includes a combination of neighborhood street improvements, major street projects and traffic signal/intersection improvements -- totals an estimated $38 million in 2021 and $133 million from 2021-2025, funded by an existing 1 percent sales tax.
In 2019, the Arkansas River rose to what the National Weather Service described as unprecedented levels, causing major flooding in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Fort Smith was among Arkansas cities hard-hit.
The four projects that specifically address flooding issues, according to a report presented to the Fort Smith board, are as follows:
• Neighborhood drainage improvements. The projects, which would cost about $5 million, include seven areas affected by structure flooding and infrastructure damage that occurred during heavy rains in the past year. About $500,000 would be spent in 2021 and $4.5 million in 2022.
• Levee/Bank Stabilization. Rip rap -- which is rock or other material used to armor shorelines and structures -- would be installed along 1,600 feet of eroding riverbank adjacent to the city's "Rice Carden" levee. "With the major flooding on the Arkansas River, the river bank has experienced significant erosion and needs to be stabilized before the erosion encroaches to the toe of the levee," according to the plan.
• Major Storm Drain Rehabilitation. A cured-in-place lining -- a trenchless rehabilitation method used to repair existing pipelines -- would be installed in two major storm sewer lines. Both lines have leaking pipe joints, which have created sink holes. The first line (Carnall Outfall) runs immediately adjacent to the Police Department, county jail and under a significant portion of the National Cemetery. The second line extends 1,000 feet from the J Street pump station to the Arkansas River adjacent to the U.S. Marshals Museum. The work would include minor joint repairs to six locations along the city's flood wall where leaks occurred during the Arkansas River flood of 2019.
• May Branch Outfall Culvert Remediation. The project includes the evaluation and remediation work for the May Branch outfall culvert relating to construction problems and potential Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement for damage from the 2019 Arkansas River flood.
• Flooded Residence Buyout Program. The buyout program can be used to purchase residential properties that have experienced structure flooding if the cost of the residence/property is less than the cost of public drainage improvements to reduce the flooding. The voluntary buyout program includes a recommendation to set aside an annual amount of $250,000 to allow for the purchase of flooded residences. The buyout program applies to residential structure flooding from a city-maintained drainage way, easement, street, or right or way. Examples of nonqualifying flood events include structure flooding where the flood source is from neighboring properties, a hillside, groundwater seepage, or the Arkansas River. To date, no properties have been purchased under the program.
A copy of the five-year capital improvement plan is available here: https://bit.ly/2SUVMM1.