Flood assistance will repair 2001 damages

Clarendon and Donley County are getting an assist from state and federal authorities in repairing flood damage from last spring and preventing similar damage in the future.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the US Department of Agriculture, and the state’s Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA) will be providing funding for repairs and improvements to two county bridges and at several sites within the city limits.

Repairs estimated at $547,000 will be made on bridges over Mulberry and Troublesome Creeks on the JA Ranch Road. County Judge Jack Hall said the work will primarily consist of rebuilding and strengthening the embankments at the ends of the bridges.

The first of five sites in the city is located on Gorst Street south of the Fourth Street intersection. Site A, as it is referred to, will see more than 430 square yards of asphalt paving and 225’ of concrete footing in an effort to stop erosion and to assist storm waters into the city’s existing main drainage channel.

Site B is located north of McClelland Field where storm waters leave City Park and cross Sixth Street. A small section of that street will be rebuilt, repaved, and strengthened with concrete footings. Also, silt deposits will be removed from the creekbed north of Sixth Street.

Site C work consists of cleaning out the city storm channel from First Street north to Clarendon Lake. Trees and debris will be removed from 20 feet on either side of the channel until it nears the lake where 50 feet will be cleared on each side. Also a large logjam will be removed from the channel where sand, tree limbs, railroad ties, and even some city dumpsters have been washed away and piled up over successive storms. The cleanup should allow water running through the channel to run freely into the lake and prevent it from backing up into the city.

Site D is located in the alleyway between McClelland and Carhart streets. Storm water from as far south as Cooke Street (near the museum grounds) washes down through this corridor as it makes its way to the storm channel. Plans call for silt and trees to be removed from the alley, which will then be paved and curbed. A low bridge on Carhart Street will still restrict water, but officials say the improvements should carry a 5-year flood with no problem. A 10-year flood would still backup, however.

There has been some discussion about paving the streets connected to the alleyway in order to alleviate sand deposits in the alley, but that work was not in the plans presented to city officials Monday.

Site E is a reworking of Thurman Avenue near the eastern city limit from US 287 south to the end of the road. A 20-foot road would be built 1400’ long with a wide drainage ditch running down the west side of the road. At least 150’ of Thurman will be paved where waters from adjacent land drains across it. Some debris and trees will be removed from the area, and erosion protections will be put in place.

NRCS officials say they hope to let bids on these projects in May with work to start in June. Completion is expected this October. The federal government will handle all the bidding, contracts, and oversight of the projects.