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Engineers present $1.6 million Hog Creek reconstruction; board delays public-hearing decision
Summary
Engineers presented a draft plan to reconstruct Hog Creek — including a new box culvert and regraded ditch — with estimated construction and non-construction costs of $1.3–$1.6 million; the Drainage Board tabled the decision on scheduling a public hearing while landowners and staff explore lower-cost fixes.
Lock Mueller engineers told the Delaware County Drainage Board on Tuesday that Hog Creek’s regulated drain and an undersized culvert at County Road 700 are creating frequent overtopping and that a full reconstruction would substantially reduce those events.
The draft plan presented by Moyer and Erin Wever proposes regrading the regulated drain to an 18-foot flat-bottom V ditch, installing flatter 4:1 side slopes, and replacing an existing 48-inch corrugated metal pipe culvert with a 15-foot-by-4-foot concrete box culvert. The firm’s preliminary construction-only estimate is about $1.3 million; including permitting, design, right-of-way work and a 30% contingency, the total rises to roughly $1.6 million.
Why it matters: engineers said the existing 48-inch culvert can only convey a fraction of the water the watershed produces in a design storm. Aaron, the Lock Mueller hydraulics engineer, said, “the existing 48 in culvert I believe can only handle about 70 CFS,” while the 25-year design flow arriving at that location is about 390 CFS, creating a major flow restriction and repeated roadway overtopping.
Details of the plan and cost: the firm analyzed the Hog Creek watershed at roughly 2.3 square miles (about 1,500 acres) and identified several structures and localized restrictions. Key elements of the proposal include an 18-foot-wide flat-bottom channel through the regulated reach, several new box culverts sized for the 25-year county standard and localized grading to convey flow into those structures. The engineers estimated excavation line items (an example excavation line was $267,000), right-of-way or easement costs, and a 30% contingency for unknowns such as undocumented tiles or poor soils. The firm estimated engineering and permitting at about $133,000 if the project proceeds to final design.
Local alternatives and concerns: Delaware County highway superintendent Tommy urged the board to consider a phased approach, proposing targeted dredging, additional small crossovers, catch basins and other lower-cost maintenance before committing to full reconstruction. Tommy said he could try incremental fixes and asked the board to “put a little faith” in those local options to potentially save money for taxpayers.
Financing and next steps: engineers told the board that under current assessment mechanics the reconstruction would require agreement from 60% of the watershed acres (about 883 acres) to proceed. Using the $1.6 million estimate and a five-year financing horizon, the presentation provided an example calculation of roughly $220 per acre per year, noting actual assessments would be allocated by parcel percentage of watershed area.
Board action: a member moved to schedule a public hearing (anticipated in August or September) so petitioning landowners can decide whether to proceed. After landowners and some board members asked for more time and for staff to explore lower-cost options, the board voted to table the scheduling decision until the next meeting so affected landowners can confer and staff can gather follow-up information.
What happens next: engineers will finalize their draft report after receiving any comments, staff will continue to explore incremental maintenance options and the board will revisit the question of whether to set a public hearing at the next regular meeting. If the board moves forward with a public hearing, affected landowners will receive notice and an estimate of their likely assessment share prior to the vote.
