Cape Girardeau water detention basin, paid for by sales tax, completed early

Residents of the Glenridge Drive and Melrose Avenue neighborhoods can rest easier during April's showers since the completion of a stormwater detention basin.

The Lisa Street detention basin, built to control flooding and reduce erosion, was the first major project to benefit from the parks and stormwater sales tax implemented last year. It was completed 18 days ahead of schedule.

City manager Ken Eftink, assistant public works director Steve Cook, Goggin Excavating owner Jim Goggin, and project manager Chris Layton and engineer Matt Neil of Smith & Co. met at the construction site Friday to celebrate the project's successful completion.

The construction of the Lisa Street detention basin began in late December, Goggin said, and was completed March 31.

"We're very fortunate to have it done during that time of year," he said. "It was one of the smoothest projects."

The detention basin was constructed north of Lisa Street, between Randol Drive and Delwin Street. It serves the Glenridge Drive and Melrose Avenue neighborhoods, an area that has seen street flooding during moderate to heavy rain.

Harvy Thompson, 2420 Melrose Drive, said he's seen firsthand what heavy rain can do to his neighborhood. When Cape Girardeau received record rainfall last year, Thompson said the street drain in front of his house backed up and flooded his basement.

"Water was so deep in front of my house, a woman got stuck in her SUV and when she got out it was waist deep," he said.

While a stormwater control structure was already in place, it did not control the water that came in from the west ditch. The project removed the old, damaged control structure and installed two new levees and control structure boxes.

The reconstructed two-level detention basin will hold storm water and release it slowly, reducing stream bank erosion and flooding.

"I just hope it can keep the water flowing. I know its unusual to have 13 inches of rain in a 24-hour period, but it could happen again," Thompson said. "All I would like to see is next time we have a heavy rain, instead of the water backing up, it will flow the way it should."

That area's need for a storm-water control project was identified by the public works department early this decade, but Eftink said there was no funding available at the time.

But last April, voters approved a half-cent increase in the city's sales tax, creating a $25 million bond for parks and storm water improvements. Most of the money was dedicated to new construction of parks and recreation facilities, but $2 million was set aside for stormwater abatement.

The $95,000 detention basin project was first major project paid for by the tax fund.

"We are glad the citizens approved this tax," Eftink said.

Smith & Co.'s Cape Girardeau office and Jim Goggin Excavating were awarded contracts for the project, another aspect Eftink said he was glad to see.

"That provided jobs locally, so it was good for the community in that way too," he said.

Eleven additional stormwater improvement projects are to be completed later this year and in 2010.

Those projects include detention and runoff control in the Arena Creek area between Broadview Street and Optimist Drive, channel stabilization at Breckenridge Branch and the Dorothy Street drainage area and flood control with the LaSalle retention basin flood monitor.

Pertinent addresses:

Beavercreek Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Broadview St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Optimist Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Howell Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo. Cape Rock Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Themis Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Silver Springs Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo.