Warren County Fiscal Court on Oct. 23 approved a $104,776 contract for targeted drainage and flood-mitigation studies, a county official said, as part of an effort to map flow paths and identify solutions after the April floods.

Public Works staff explained the work will be regional in scope and will focus initially on Weatherstone Subdivision off Russell Road and The Standard off Blue Level. The studies are intended to clarify where floodwaters originate and where they flow—information county officials said they do not have in full for some neighborhoods.

The contract was identified as item 24 (determination amount $104,776 to QK4 for targeted drainage and flood mitigation studies, professional services). Court members praised staff for undertaking the work and asked for ongoing updates as the firm completes mapping and recommendations.

One county official said, “This is the first step. And so this $100,000 commitment here is going to make a difference when they get finished with it, but it is mapping out exactly. We know where the water's coming from. What we don't know sometimes is where it's going.” The judge added that the county had not done a countywide study before and expressed confidence in the stormwater team to carry out a complex project.

The motion to approve was made by Esquire Aldridge and seconded by Esquire McWhorter; the measure passed on a unanimous recorded roll call.