News Release
January 3, 2005
The Army Corps of Engineers has issued the following release concerning the Mill Creek Flood Study, public review and comment information, GRR Public Open House, and the Mill Creek Watershed Council GRR Stakeholder Meeting:
Mill Creek Flood Study Finished
The Army Corps of Engineers has finished the flood damage reduction study for Mill Creek, Ohio and has issued the draft General Re-evaluation Report (GRR) and draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The GRR tentatively recommends the modified channel alternative as the Corps’ preferred plan. This option combines bioengineering practices, natural channel design elements and some traditional engineering practices where needed. The modified channel alternative will involve some channel widening to achieve the volume necessary to accommodate the 100-year flood event. The proposed costs for this alternative rang from $607-$622 million.
At this time, the deep tunnel alternative (the locally preferred option since 2000) with an estimated cost of $1.6 billion will be too expensive to fund using the proposed 65%/35% federal/local cost structure. This would mean the loss of the combined sewer overflow (CSO) mitigation component of the Corps project.
The public review period is open and written comments will be accepted until January 31, 2005.
The document can be viewed at the following public library locations:
- Main Branch, 800 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Government & Business Dept
- Elmwood Place Branch, 6120 Vine St.
- Cincinnati Clifton Branch, 351 Ludlow Ave.
- Cincinnati Reading Branch, 9001 Reading Rd.
- Reading St. Bernard Branch, 4803 Tower Ave.
St. Bernard Sharonville Branch, 10980 Thornview Dr., Sharonville
(The lengthy (9-volume) report is available for viewing and downloading at the Army Corps Mill Creek webpage under the “GRR December 2004” link after December 20, 2004.)
Army Corps of Engineers Mill Creek GRR Public Open House
The Army Corps of Engineers Mill Creek GRR Public Open House on January 6th at the Evendale Recreation Center (10700 Reading Road) between 11:00 am and 8:30 pm. Corps representatives will be on hand with displays and exhibits related to the project. They will also accept comments on the report.
Mill Creek Watershed Council GRR Stakeholder Meeting
A Mill Creek Watershed Council GRR Stakeholder Meeting is planned for 7:00 pm on Thursday, January 20th in the City of Sharonville Council Chambers (10500 Reading Road) to provide watershed communities, businesses, organizations and residents with an opportunity to ask questions, express their opinions, and assess local willingness to support the proposed alternative(s).
For more information call the Mill Creek Watershed Council office at 513.563.8800.
