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MOUNT VERNON — At this point, the city is undertaking two activities to evaluate the flood plain.
One is a short-term effort, and the other is long-term.
In the short term, the city is taking inventory of all the structures in the west end. The inventory includes measuring elevation and inspecting each house to determine who would likely qualify for flood insurance.
The property owner would then apply to FEMA to see whether FEMA would remove the parcel from the flood plain.
Engineering interns completed seven streets thus far. Progress is weather and staff-dependent.
The long-term effort relates to the levee itself.
Late last month, the city approved using $60,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money for H&H modeling of the Kokosing River. H&H refers to hydrologic and hydraulic.
H&H modeling determines when water might overtop a levee. The last H&H was performed in 1979.
The city is working with Stantec Consulting Services to complete the H&H modeling.
The analysis involves six individual levee sections, stretching from Tilden Avenue to the Kokosing Gap Trail parking lot on Lower Gambier Road.
Stantec will use information from a gauge located on the right bank of the river about 300 feet south of Tilden Avenue.
Three primary tributaries enter the Kokosing as it winds through the city: Dry Creek, Delano Run, and Center Run.
The tributaries are downstream from the gauge at Tilden Avenue. Stantec will calculate the increased flow they add to the river using standard methods.
This stage of modeling does not include the tributaries themselves.
Stantec estimates the H&H modeling will take four months. A start date is not set.
The H&H analysis is the first step in determining a future levee project.
