Out of the Past - April 26, 2001 - 20 yrs ago

Rain floods Custer County Fairgrounds

City and county officials say enough is enough, someJ thing has got to be done about the flooding at Custer County Fairgrounds.

Two inches of rain fell in Broken Bow Sunday and within hours the fair ground area was underwater.

“It doesn’t have to be a huge rain to cause a problem,” Mike Lucas, utilities superintendent, stated. Lucas apJ peared before the Custer County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning and then before the Broken Bow City Council Tuesday evening.

“We had two inches of rain on Sunday and how many times per year do we get two inches of rain,” Lucas said. The supervisors and city council members agreed. “It’s a problem now and it going to become an even bigJ ger problem in the future,” said Supervisor Ron JorgenJ son.

Lucas brought the cost proposals from Tagge EngiJ neering to do a storm sewer study. The initial cost was estimated at $17,000. Lucas told both groups that Tagge indicated the estimate was high and should end up being around $13-14,000 instead.

The city council and board of supervisors said they would split the cost of the study.

“Anytime you deal with two properties and water, it is a joint problem to be shared by the city and the county, said Council President Bob Jacobsen.

The last storm sewer study was done in the mid-1970’s, said Lucas.

“A lot of building has been completed since then. The amount of water is probably the same, but the speed at which it gathers has changed,” Lucas said.

All of the water from along East Highway 2 ends up at Muddy Creek and backs up into the fairgrounds, he addJ ed.

“It can get there, but it can’t get away.

The study would include an area from approximately First Avenue to the east property line of the fairgrounds. The north to south parameters would include the Corp Drainage Ditch running through town to N Street.

Lucas will present a formal document direction the engiJ neering firm to do the study at the next meeting.