Monroe, county and basin commission back comprehensive stormwater study and GIS mapping

Monroe — Town officials said the town will pursue a multi-phase stormwater study, with regional support, after county and basin commission representatives outlined a plan to assess drainage, detention capacity and tile improvements for the watershed that drains to Yellow Creek.

Rodney Rickenberger, director of the Maumee River Basin Commission, told the council the commission would provide technical and financial assistance toward an overall study and recommended Christopher Burke Associates prepare an initial systemwide assessment. "You need to look at this holistically," Rickenberger said, describing a phased approach that would first map where water flows, then evaluate detention-pond capacity and later consider tile and other improvements.

Town staff and the county described preliminary GIS mapping already underway and asked the council to authorize a not-to-exceed agreement to finalize the mapping templates and asset features. Town staff said the stormwater portion has a $5,000 line item and the broader GIS agreement could be managed under a $10,000 not-to-exceed contract so the firm can build templates and add features for asset management. "Once that proposal is done, they're going to have a number," a town staff member said about the engineering firm’s forthcoming estimate.

Officials stressed that funding for construction remains uncertain. County surveyor Mike Warling and other staff said the watershed is large — roughly 800–900 acres — and that the detention pond built in 1971 now holds significant sediment and will require maintenance. "It's a perfect sediment trap for the system," Warling said, noting the pond captures runoff from roughly two miles of upstream drainage.

Council members agreed the study would give the town a clearer basis to pursue grants and state partners. The council also approved moving forward administratively with GIS work and asked staff to return with the engineering proposal and funding recommendations once Christopher Burke Associates submits its scope and cost estimate. No construction or funding commitment was made; next steps are preparing the engineering proposal and identifying potential funding sources.