LITTLE ROCK, Ark — This severe weather season has left a growing Little Rock neighborhood right along the Arkansas River nervous for two reasons.
Riverdale has always had reason to worry about river flooding behind its 71-year-old levee, but lately a pipe problem has led to flash flooding concerns.
“It was the amount of rain in the amount of time that we got and the way the pumps have to work,” said Jay Whisker, an engineer with McClelland Consultants.
The firm oversees the levee for it’s active district board.
“We have a book that has everything we need to do in it as the river rises. We have different levels of protection for that levee district and we continue to implement those as we've gone,” said Whisker.
Part of those plans are why high-volume hoses are attached to temporary pumps in four storm drains throughout the 2.8-mile district. The area is some of the most expensive real estate protected by a levee after years of commercial and residential growth.
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“It's due to all the development in here,” said Whisker. “You have four or five apartment complexes. You've got commercial buildings here with businesses in them.”
All the property is built in a giant bathtub. That puts pressure on the plan to pump out rain water, especially when the river runs high as it did during the historic flooding event that began Memorial Day weekend.
When a pipe failed during severe storms before and after the river flooding, flash flooding swamped the streets.
“For the most part [the plan] was successful,” Whisker said. “The pump worked okay, but the pipe started failing.”
The temporary pumps are doing the job for now and will be in place until the Army Corps of Engineers can bid out a contract to replace the broken pipe. Whisker says the Corps is expediting the bid process.