Morgan County to address flood damage with two projects

Two of eight flood mitigation projects identified for state and federal disaster relief funding can’t wait for the state’s application to wind its way through the federal approval process, Public Works Director Bret Heiner and Emergency Manager Turner Austin told county commissioners at their Sept. 19 meeting.

Hardscrabble Road, one of the areas most impacted by flooding this spring, needs remediation efforts Turner said. Even if Utah has a normal winter they’re anticipating some flooding issues there, he said. “It would be nice to have that mitigated and fixed; we’ve had problems there in drought years.”

Highland Road needs erosion repair and the installation of a new drainage pipe, he added.

Together the two projects total over $77,000 which the two asked the commissioners to fund from the county’s flood disaster fund which was set up in the 1990s. While some monies from it have been used this spring in flood mitigation, there’s currently more than $200,000 in the fund, Turner said.

Heiner said it was extremely difficult to get bids this year and that it took the entire summer just to get the two bids (one per project) Morgan County received after advertising the jobs on the county website.

“Believe me, it’s hard to get bids; every contractor is busy,” he said.

Commissioners responded positively to Heiner and Turner’s request and voted to approve funding the projects which will now move forward. With this approval, Wilkinson Construction will add a rock drainage ditch to the existing 24-inch pipe on Hardscrabble Road, add a new 30-inch pipe through the Hanks property, and widen the shoulder on the lower side of the road. That project will cost $39,271. On Highland Road, J Wilkinson & Sons will repair areas affected by erosion and install a new drainage pipe for $38,400.

Morgan was just one of seven counties that state officials felt had enough documented flood damage this spring to qualify for federal aid, Turner said. “Ultimately this money that we’re going to spend out of our own funds hopefully will be reimbursed. All the volunteerism should count toward match hours so we should be made whole.

Even if Utah has an average winter there is a strong possibility Morgan County will be dealing with at least some flooding next year, he said. “Our reservoirs are at 80 percent so an average year could be interesting next spring.”

The other projects will be completed once Morgan County obtains the state and federal funds, Turner said. λ