LENRD continues to partner with the City of Randolph on flood control project

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) has partnered with the City of Randolph on their flood control project for the past 16 years.

The city has experienced flooding of varying severity for a number of years with the most recent significant flooding damage occurring in June of 1984 from the Middle Logan Creek in Cedar County.

Due to a narrow channel that runs directly through the city, the creek can easily flood during a storm event.  Over the years, numerous homes and other structures have been erected in close proximity to the channel, and are subsequently situated in the flood plain.

As the result of past studies and recognizing the high cost of other options for flood control, the city of Randolph requested the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) to investigate the problem in June of 2002, and they became the leaders in the project.

LENRD Projects Manager, Curt Becker, said, “After looking into many alternatives, the most cost-effective option is the widening of the channel for protection from flooding.  This project will allow for most of the city, but not all, to be taken out of the flood plain.”

City Administrator, Kelsey Backer, said, “After reviewing the study by the USACE, there is still the possibility that 6 homes could be affected by the channel widening.  If so, residents would be compensated for the fair market value of their property and/or relocation assistance.  However, it’s possible that none of the homes will be affected as they look into other options with city owned property, including a park and a street.”

Backer added, “There have been two votes on the flood control project and the majority of the community support the project and realize the necessity for it.  We will continue to partner with the USACE and the LENRD to protect our town, our homes, and the future of our community.”

In April of 2017, the LENRD board authorized the creation of a sinking fund for the project. Becker, said, “The LENRD is planning to allocate $500,000 per year over the next 4 years, in order to meet our share of the total project, and to protect the future of this community.”

This past February, an inter-local agreement was signed between the LENRD and the City of Randolph for the Flood Risk Management Study for the Middle Logan Creek.  The study will propose channel improvements for their flood control plan.

Becker, added, “The completion of this flood control project will in essence remove numerous homes and businesses from within the flood plain.  We are not only working to protect the community from future flood events, but also to prevent the required annual cost associated with expensive flood insurance.”