County flood study flags homes at risk; Indian Trail approves stormwater contract additions and design work

Brian Hawkins, Union County’s stormwater engineer, presented the results of a joint flood study for the East Fork/12 Mile Creek tributaries, telling the Indian Trail Town Council that several neighborhoods already face flooding risk in common storm events. "During the 25‑year storm it was identified that there are already 11 homes subject to flooding," Hawkins said, and he warned that more homes would be inundated in a 100‑year event and that five crossings studied overtopped in major storms.

Hawkins said the study focused on three neighborhoods of concern—Wesley Woods, Melrose Place and Winding Creek—and highlighted both hydraulic failures at road crossings and problems with pond outlets. He said a full set of upgrades to prevent road overtopping would be costly: consultants estimated between $1.25 million and $1.5 million to upgrade multiple culverts and crossings; a more limited set of improvements to address 25‑year storm flooding was estimated at roughly $250,000–$315,000.

The council moved from that presentation to several stormwater items on the agenda. Todd Huntinger and staff reported the Bow Brook construction project had completed but required additional stone and pavement work after crews discovered there was effectively no stone base beneath an existing asphalt roadway. Because construction traffic and unforeseen base conditions damaged the road, staff asked the council to approve an additional $17,855.72 to settle the contractor’s final invoice and close the project; council approved the payment unanimously.

Huntinger then reviewed work tied to a professional services contract funded by ARPA dollars to design and oversee multiple streambank restoration projects. The initial contract and amendment totaled about $761,403 in design/engineering work; staff presented additional work required to complete design, secure easements, perform FEMA permitting, and provide construction oversight. The council approved an added $180,180.43 for those design and completion tasks, bringing the anticipated contract total to roughly $941,583.43. Staff emphasized that the action funds design and permitting only and that construction funding would return to council separately.

Council members and staff framed the approvals as an effort to move proactively on recurrent erosion, culvert failures and access risks. The presentation and ensuing discussion underscored the technical limits on quick fixes—Hawkins noted pond redesigns often require much larger studies and that some solutions are infeasible without substantial reconstruction—and the town will need to prioritize sites, secure easements and plan construction phases.

What happens next: staff will proceed with the approved design tasks and FEMA coordination, then return to council with construction scopes and bids for specific sites. The Bow Brook final invoice will be paid from the approved stormwater budget line and the ARPA‑funded design work is on a path for bidding and permitting this year.