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Browns Creek flooding floods parts of Fairgrounds; staff documents damage and reschedules events
Summary
Heavy storms flooded areas of the Nashville Fairgrounds, cresting at about 11.5 feet in Browns Creek, causing road closures, debris, fence damage and event cancellations; staff is documenting costs for emergency management and working to reschedule multiple events.
Intense storms over the April weekend caused Browns Creek to crest about 11.5 feet early Thursday, sending floodwater over parts of the Nashville Fairgrounds, producing road closures, debris deposits and localized facility damage, staff told the board.
Operations staff reported that the creek crest caused the fence behind the employee lot to be struck and that several roads — including Nolensville Pike and portions of Wedgwood under the railroad trestle, Bransford and Craighead — were closed due to debris. Coliseum Way was reported underwater and some lots looked flooded. Staff said most damage has been debris-related — porta-potties displaced, a dumpster carried into the creek — but noted that a section of the ornamental fence along Craighead eroded because underlying concrete footers were exposed and that a gate and fencing to a lot will need replacement.
The operations presentation explained steps to document and recover costs: staff photographed damage, will track labor and equipment used for cleanup and will submit estimates to Metro’s Office for Emergency Management and to the LEAP system. Staff said they would seek appropriate coding for reimbursement and that some emergency expenses historically have been coded to special Metro funds rather than coming from the fairgrounds operating budget.
Several events were canceled or postponed because of the storms. Speedway representatives said opening night was rained out and they were working with staff to reschedule; staff reported three other events were officially rescheduled and one boxing match was being rescheduled.
“Immediately on Thursday, we were out taking pictures. We have to track estimated damage. We have to track any labor costs associated with cleanup in response to the disaster as well as all the equipment that we use. All of that — all of those estimates — are due to Office for Emergency Management tomorrow,” Laura, a staff member, told commissioners.
Staff thanked Metro emergency management and police for onsite support after the flood surge and said cleanup and repairs will proceed while reimbursement requests are processed.
