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City manager presents drainage study; engineers cite 4.3 acres of added impervious cover and recommend ditch, culvert and detention work
Summary
City manager Ray Miller presented a Strain Associates drainage study showing roughly 4.3 acres of additional impervious cover in the watershed that includes district property and outlined alternatives including clearing and deepening a ditch (~$200,000), installing culverts and a storm sewer (~$304,000), and building a detention basin (~$300,000 estimate).
The Flatonia ISD board heard a detailed drainage study presentation from City Manager Ray Miller and Strain Associates that examined ten interactive watersheds in the southeastern section of town that include and surround district property.
Miller said the consulting engineers used lidar and field topo surveys to compare 2014 conditions to 2025 conditions and reported an estimated cumulative increase in impervious cover of about 4.3 acres—most concentrated in what the study calls 'location A,' which includes the athletic fields and parking areas. He summarized possible remedies and provided rough cost estimates: clearing and deepening the drainage ditch between East 4th and East 6th Street with associated culvert and inlet work (probable cost just under $200,000), a storm sewer/catch-basin approach near School Street (probable cost about $304,000), and construction of a detention basin at the back of the campus (cost estimate in the neighborhood of $300,000) to meter releases during heavy events.
Miller noted that some of the downstream conveyance is within a city easement that has not been maintained; the engineers found the existing ditch has limited capacity and that increases in impervious cover and nearby private development have contributed to ponding and localized runoff. He also said the city may consider code changes—such as a detention requirement for new construction—to reduce future impacts. The board discussed options and asked the city to examine next steps and funding approaches if the district or city pursues any of the alternatives.
"I guess the cumulative, increase in impervious cover is about 4.3 acres," Miller said during his presentation, describing where most of the added cover occurred and warning that heavy, high-intensity rainfall events drive much of the observed runoff.
