COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP, OH — A Columbia Township neighborhood that has struggled with dangerous flooding for years is finally getting relief through a newly completed flood prevention project.
The North Madison Place neighborhood has experienced flooding from a nearby creek at least four times in recent years, according to residents.
"There's a big wooded ravine back through there coming down from Indian Hill," said Nathan Self, project manager and engineer for Strand Associates. "What this project did was raise the wall height about two feet, so that makes it so the water has to build up higher before it can get over, and then also provides about 12,000 gallons of additional storage volume for the water back behind here."
The project costs more than $500,000 in improvements, but residents won't be paying a cent as it was entirely funded through grants and private partnerships.
"We're able to get about $300,000 from the county, through the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners, to help fund this project, which made a huge impact here in this neighborhood, and for the school, and everyone throughout this area," Self said.
WATCH: We speak to the project's engineer and neighborhood residents about the plan
Good Shepherd Montessori School, which is located next to the creek, also contributed to the innovative solution.
"The school did put in about $50,000 towards the project. And so we were able to do that, along with the help of Columbia Township," said Anne Marie Vega, principal of Good Shepherd Montessori School.
The project will benefit both residents who have dealt with water damage to their homes and the school community.
"So I didn't have that much impact. But my neighbor right across from me, her entire driveway and basement were flooded several times. I mean, it just looked like a swimming pool of water in her driveway," Vega said. We strive to be good neighbors and work together as a community, and that has a negative effect."
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held 9 a.m. Wednesday at Good Shepherd Montessori on Berwick Street.
More information on the project can be found here.
