Groves officials, utilities describe response to ‘50‑year’ rain; residents press for ditch and easement repairs

Groves city officials on June 22 described emergency response to an unusually intense rain event and outlined next steps as residents urged more aggressive ditch and easement maintenance.

The city manager told the council the storm delivered locally up to about 11 inches of rain in under three hours and called it a "50‑year rain event," saying staff and mutual‑aid crews cleared debris and worked overnight to limit damage. The manager also warned that Incode, the city's enterprise resource planning system, will be moved to a cloud host this Wednesday, temporarily suspending online payments for a day.

Alan Sims, general manager of Range District 7, said crews were at pump stations by 5 a.m., had multiple pumps running as levels rose and removed "three to four 40‑yard rolloffs full of debris" during the peak. "We can handle 10 inches in a day, but 8–11 inches in a couple hours is just more than you can handle," Sims said, adding that floating debris — "toys, yard toys, pedal cars" — frequently plugs culverts and worsens localized flooding.

Sims and staff described two large detention pond projects intended to reduce peak flows: a roughly 45‑acre basin at the former Tap school site and a 25–27‑acre basin near the soccer fields in the Hogaboom area. Both sets of plans have been completed, the presenters said, but construction is on hold pending FEMA approval of funding; Sims said the Tap site work is "mostly grant funded, probably 90% or more," and estimated the city’s share at about $1 million.

Council members and district staff cautioned that detention ponds and added pump capacity reduce but cannot eliminate flood risk from extremely fast rains or from blockages that form in local ditches and culverts. "It takes a channel bigger than Taylor Fowl going under 73 out here to drain the amount of water that came out," Sims said.

During public comment, resident Randy Nars distributed maps and said eight homes in his block were affected — five flooded, three had water in garages — and pointed to a particular drainage structure and an overgrown easement behind a property that he said needs clearing and professional attention. "If we could get this other (drain) box working, it could move some water," Nars said.

Another resident, Mark Bullet, said his house suffered roughly $39,000 in damage after three inches of water entered his home and asked how often culverts and ditches are supposed to be cleared. "If the pumps are working, but the water can't get there, what are we paying all the taxes for?" he asked.

Fire department staff reported water entered the fire station and described remediation steps including carpet removal, fans and dehumidifiers, and cutting sheetrock up to two feet where insulation was soaked. Staff also said a catch basin or trenching could be installed through public works if needed.

Next steps identified in the meeting: follow up on the FEMA review and funding for the detention ponds so the projects can proceed; continued field cleanup and debris removal by pumps and district crews; and staff follow‑up with residents about targeted easement and ditch maintenance requests. The council did not take formal action on a drainage program at the meeting; an executive session on legal matters was scheduled after the public session.