Wallsburg council debates responsibility for filled ditches, culverts as residents push for fixes

Wallsburg Town Council members and residents spent the largest portion of their Sept. 5 meeting discussing persistent drainage problems where filled ditches, removed culverts and runoff from altered yards are causing recurring flooding and soft spots on town roads.

The discussion focused on who is responsible for maintaining the town’s rights of way and drainage features, immediate fixes for several problem locations and seeking grant money to fund engineering and repairs.

Council members and residents said several culverts and historic ditches that once collected and moved stormwater have been filled, in some cases after properties converted irrigation to pressurized systems. Residents pressed the council to clarify whether property owners who fill ditches or remove culverts are responsible for restoring drainage when problems appear and to adopt enforcement language so the town can require remediation.

Council member Scott Larson said the roadway right of way is 66 feet and argued the town needs to maintain that space: “That 66 feet should be maintained by the town,” he said at the meeting. Council members and attendees identified at least four recurring trouble spots where water concentrates and creates soft, unstable road surfaces. Several residents described repeated monthly clean‑outs and emergency sandbagging to protect driveways.

To pursue more immediate repairs, Troy Thompson told the council he has scheduled a meeting with Nancy O’Toole and a representative from the Utah Department of Water Quality for the following Thursday to discuss grants that could pay for engineering and construction. Council members said the state program may provide funds for storm‑drainage emergency work, including culverts and asphalt, but that the town must develop a plan and clarify responsibility and maintenance before applying.

Discussion ranged from short‑term measures — cleaning culverts, placing drain rock and temporary diversions — to longer‑term code changes. Several council members recommended sending specific development, ditch‑encroachment and right‑of‑way enforcement language to the Walsburg Town Planning Commission for inclusion in the town development code and fee schedule so the town can require permits and levy penalties when property owners block drainage.

Residents and council members also discussed engineering limits: an outside consultant at the meeting noted most Utah municipalities design for a 10‑year storm event and that very large, unusual storms cannot be completely mitigated. Still, council members said smaller structure changes — sumps, collection boxes and targeted culverts — could reduce localized damage and slow runoff before it reaches downstream properties.

Next steps the council recorded were to: meet with the Department of Water Quality for grant details and match requirements; identify and document the four priority problem areas; require planning commission review of code language about right‑of‑way encroachments and permits; and plan targeted clean‑outs and interim diversions before winter. No new ordinance or binding enforcement action was adopted at the Sept. 5 meeting.

The council said it would report back from the state meeting and bring recommended language and budget estimates to the next work session.