Catoosa evaluating stormwater issues around the jail
‘We’re looking at fixing the entrance and maybe clearing an area next to that to hopefully help with the water volume. It could help slow down some of that water that comes down (Highway) 41.’ James Davis planning and zoning director
Catoosa County commissioners recently signed off on an engineering agreement to hopefully rectify some of the stormwater issues that currently exist at the jail and sheriff’s office.
Planning and Zoning Director James Davis explained the issues during the Dec. 4 Board of Commissioner’s meeting by pointing out that patrol vehicles are having a hard time combating flooding during heavy rainfalls.
“The sheriff has had a couple of instances recently with the flash flooding where his patrol cars haven’t been able to get in or out of the jail due to the water issues,” Davis said.
Davis requested and received approval of an engineering pact with CTI Engineers to design a plan to help remedy the stormwater issues.
“For the task order, CTI will gather topographic data and prepare drawings and details to assist the county in alleviating erosion and flooding issues at the jail entrance off U.S. 41,” Davis said.
Some of the improvements Davis hopes to address with the project include modifications to the existing detention pond on site.
“The existing detention ponds were built prior to current standards and guidelines,” Davis said. “They can be remodeled. What we’re looking at doing is looking is seeing if we can re-route some of that water from U.S. 41 into those detention ponds and help slow it down.”
The engineering cost will be $53,600 and will be paid from 2014 stormwater SPLOST funds.
Davis said the price includes surveys, hydraulic and hydrologic analysis, design drawings, bid assistance, and construction administration on the part of CTI.
“We’re hoping we can update the existing ponds to help control some of the water volume that’s coming down highway 41 and flooding the jail by making some modifications to the existing ponds,” Davis said.
Davis added that plans could include raising the entrance to the jail where it currently dips down.
“We’re looking at fixing the entrance and maybe clearing an area next to that to hopefully help with the water volume,” Davis said. “It could help slow down some of that water that comes down (Highway) 41. When it flash floods, it’s ridiculous. That’s why we had to do Chapman Road.”
Last year, the county and the city of Ringgold worked together on Chapman Road because the flooding got so out of hand that residents of the Callaway Farms community couldn’t access their homes on the end of Chapman Road next to Sonic.
That project included the raising of the road, as well as adding box culverts under the roadway, which seemingly solved the flooding problems that used to plague the road.