The new Bass Pro Shops coming to East Ridge is expected to shift the city's economic future. But elevating the land around Interstate 75's Exit 1 high enough to build on also shifted the area's flood plain -- not that anyone seems to be complaining.
Base flood elevations set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are expected to change in East Ridge and in part of Chattanooga near the proposed development. According to a legal notice, the 100-year flood elevation mark will change in places between the mouth of West Chickamauga Creek, Ringgold Road and about 2,500 feet upstream from Camp Jordan Parkway.
Work begins to fill a retaining pond across the street from the site of the new Bass Pro Shop that is being built in East Ridge, Tenn., on August 24, 2015.That's just east of the proposed Bass Pro Shops development, and not far from residential homes on Wright and St. Thomas streets. Mike Price, owner of MAP Engineering, said raising the level of the land at Exit 1 above the 100-year flood mark is naturally going to affect the flood levels in the surrounding area.
But after a flood study, Price said, developers began excavating around Camp Jordan to raise the property adjacent to the Bass Pro development.
"We removed dirt from inside Camp Jordan, to shift the floodway and created a more developable area. It really didn't affect the other properties that were in there. The only affected properties were the Exit 1 property and some property inside Camp Jordan," Price said.
Marvin "Stump" Martin, director of parks and recreation for East Ridge, said so far he's seen no water problems. Even with recent heavy rain, he said, Camp Jordan Parkway hasn't flooded.
"So far, it's been positive," Martin said. "Which is what the engineers told us it was going to be."
And the park is getting a good trade for the dirt.
Developers will landscape the dig site once they are finished, and they will build a road to one of Camp Jordan's canoe ramps, Martin said. To top it off, developers are building a 60-by-80-foot pavilion in the park.
East Ridge Mayor Brent Lambert said the pavilion will be a huge benefit to the park and East Ridge residents.
"We are very excited," he said. "It's going to be a place that we envision you could have a birthday party, or a family reunion or a wedding reception."
Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrog don@timesfreepress.com, @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.