This scoping report project was focused on reducing stormwater flooding in the Upper Pogue’s Run watershed and providing a better outlet for flood prone areas in the Sellers and Hull Industrial park. A hydrologic/hydraulic model was created for the project area using PCSWMM, produced by Computational Hydraulics International and was used to analyze existing facilities and drainage routing in the Upper Pogue’s Run Watershed. PCSWMM is a graphical user interface for the EPA Stormwater Management Model (SWMM), which has been in continuous use since approximately 1970. In the PCSWMM analysis, runoff hydrographs are routed through links and nodes that represent the stormwater infrastructure in the watershed. Storm channels and storm sewers were entered in the model based on as-built drawings where available, GIS information, 2011 Indiana LIDAR and site visits.
A previous study suggested purchasing a heavily wooded 22-acre wetland area for regional detention to offset increased flows from the culverts. Shrewsberry identified a lower cost alternative saving the City approximately $2 million in construction costs by eliminating the need to purchase land, reducing permitting costs, and decreasing the footprint of construction. The recommended alternative includes a regional detention facility at an alternative site from the original study, a new culvert under the railroad track, and diversion channel to the dry detention area. The new site utilizes a portion of a City of Lawrence park for detention in large rain events and will reduce flooding in the City of Lawrence and provide additional storage for the watershed.
Shrewsberry performed the detailed design for the Upper Pogue’s Run Detention Basin which included two new 30-inch culverts under the CSX railroad, grading, ditching and the other design elements for the regional detention basin sited in the City of Lawrence soccer park. This project also addressed flooding along south Richardt Avenue. This project connects to the Sellers and Hull Industrial Park and 47th Street and Richardt Avenue improvement areas.