Proposed Solution
With input from the Wayne County Drain Commissioner, weighted values of importance from the involved municipalities, and detailed model generation, the recommendation of the flood control study is to implement a “greenway” flood control project . The final phase of the flood control study is to complete a detailed analysis and implementation plan for the recommended flood mitigation alternative, being the “greenway” approach.
Greenway Approach Explained
A Greenway is designed in such a way that, during normal or low flow situations, water is confined to a very small portion of the overall channel. This narrow waterway is designed to maintain a deeper, cooler, and more active waterflow than a typical flat-bottom channel. This type of flow creates favorable conditions for fish, waterfowl, and other native species as well as a larger parent channel that can contain native habitat, bicycle or walking paths, park benches, etc. In the event of a heavy rain storm the banks of the normal flow channel would be exceeded causing the drainage system to utilize the larger parent channel to retain stormwater. Stormwater would then slowly recede back to the normal flow channel once weather conditions improved.