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Lawmakers hear Rice Creek plan to add regional stormwater storage to protect I‑35W corridor
Summary
Representative Andrew Godfrey told the Capital Investment Committee on April 8 that House File 204 would fund stormwater improvements in the Rice Creek Watershed District aimed at protecting the I‑35W corridor and nearby cities.
Representative Andrew Godfrey told the Capital Investment Committee on April 8 that House File 204 would fund stormwater improvements in the Rice Creek Watershed District aimed at protecting the I‑35W corridor and nearby cities.
Nick Tomshek, administrator of the Rice Creek Watershed District, testified that the project would create regional stormwater storage and re‑plumb city drainage to reduce surface flooding that the district's engineers project could place up to 2 feet of water on sections of I‑35W during severe storms. "The solution is our House File 204 ... to fund a flood hazard mitigation project, consider a regional stormwater basin," Tomshek said.
Nut graf: Committee members were shown maps and letters of municipal support; the project is a phased, multi‑jurisdictional effort with local contributions already invested and additional state bonding sought to complete the next construction phase.
Tomshek said the basin proposed in phase 4 would provide about 6,400,000 cubic feet of stormwater storage — which he compared to 73 Olympic‑sized swimming pools or about 147 acre‑feet — and that the district has already invested in prior phases. He told the committee the district and participating cities have contributed funds: "At this point, we've contributed $1,200,000. Again, this started in 2011. It's been a long road, about $4,100,000 in construction already." He asked the committee to consider the project for inclusion in a bonding bill.
Committee members asked about local financial participation; Tomshek said the cities participate collaboratively and have contributed to prior phases. Representative Godfrey emphasized prevention as a cost‑effective choice for protecting regional commerce and mobility along the corridor.
Ending: Proponents asked the committee to include House File 204 in future bonding to reduce the risk of highway closures and commercial disruption on a corridor that carries hundreds of thousands of vehicles daily.
