Sun Valley needs flood protection

The city and its consultants went 0 for 3 against the flood-protection pitches that nature delivered to the Sun Valley Neighborhood recently.

Past events showed that a true flash flood would come from the hillsides above Sun Valley.

Strike one was the failure to have a plan that recognized that such an event could occur.

It was recognized, and requested in writing, that the proposed storm sewer outlet to the creek at Sunland Drive be relocated so that it did not require the removal of an existing creek bank.

Strike two was their ignoring the request, not moving the outlet and removing the creek bank.

That caused a small flood that followed to deposit a beach of sand fill on a flood plain area that had been mowed grassland for the previous 34 years.

If a design causes each flood to deposit a thick layer of fill on the flood plain, then floodwater levels will get higher and a levee more easily topped.

Many large trees are still down on the creek's flood plain and have been down for a month.

They are a dam that could catch other flood debris and cause any flood to be much greater. Strike three is the failure to prioritize and doing other unnecessaries while critical needs aren't met.

Removing those downed trees from the flood plain is a neighborhood priority and it could do much of the removal if the city showed some leadership and recognition of the problem.

Marv Rops

Cedar Rapids