Audio clip
Dr. Anuj Chandra
A group of frustrated residents met Thursday night at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Brainerd and voiced concerns about constant flooding along the banks of South Chickamauga Creek.
"For the past six months, it's been progressively worse," said Dr. Anuj Chandra, a homeowner and business owner in the area. "A lot of us still have water in our basements."
About 30 residents attended the meeting, called almost a month after a deluge of rain flooded areas in Brainerd, East Ridge and North Georgia. Councilwoman Carol Berz and several city Public Works officials also attended the meeting.
Dr. Berz told the audience members she recognized their concerns and asked city officials to give specifics on what could be done to help prevent the problems.
"It's a frustrating experience," Dr. Berz said. "It's nothing you can just put up a gate and keep out."
She said she knew the city was talking of putting retention ponds in the area that could help alleviate some of the flooding.
City Engineer Bill Payne said recent water quality fee hikes should help with some of the problems. The money will help pay for more city crews to clean stormwater ditches and pipes, he said. Plus, the city will set up a preventive maintenance schedule, something never accomplished before, he said.
Mr. Payne also said it would take the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers getting involved because Chattanooga is the low point for almost eight different watersheds.
"It's going to require more than just reaching out to the city of Chattanooga," he said.
Maurice Thedford, a resident of East Brainerd Road, said he lived in the area his whole life and has seen several floods. The problem is getting worse, especially after the flood last month, he said.
"For the first time, I saw raw sewage in this," he said. "That's dangerous."
Dr. Roger Meyes, a business owner on East Brainerd Road, said major flooding happened in the area in 1973, 2003, 2004 and this year. He said there have been several other floods also.
"They are coming more often," he said. "We've got to do something."
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
* Clean stormwater ditches in Brainerd area
* Limit or stop development in low-lying areas
* Build underground reservoirs for floodwater
* Open up narrow spots of South Chickamauga Creek
Source: Brainerd/East Brainerd Town Hall meeting
Cliff has worked for the Times Free Press for five years and covers Chattanooga city government. He previously covered Rhea County, as well as transportation and growth and development in Southeast Tennessee. A native of Maryville, Tenn., Cliff graduated in 2003 from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis on journalism. Before coming to Chattanooga, he was a crime reporter with Hernando Today, a supplement of The Tampa (Fla.) ...
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