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On February 18, 2021 Mayor Waites signed the contract for engineering services with Fenstermaker which begins the long-awaited process of key flood mitigation for the City of Baker.
The project, which was initially targeted to improve 1.44 miles of Bozeman Creek by channel bottom widening the creek in three segments; Lavey Lane to Plank Road, where the creek runs adjacent to Plank Road and the outfall at White’s Bayou and improving the structure located at Plank road to accommodate more rapidly evacuating water from the area was posted in November with a due date of January 8, 2021. Initial surveys indicated an estimated 61,000 cubic yards of earth would need to be removed to accommodate channel bottom widening.
The benefit was estimated to homeowners upon completion, relative to 50-year and 100-year storms is a significant reduction in property damages, content damages and displacement costs; and these estimates were placed at roughly $1,863,885.00 for the community in prevented losses during a 50-year storm event and roughly at $2,820,526.00 during a 100-year storm event.
Fenstermaker will take over where the assessment left off and complete the engineering needed for construction to take place and will play an integral role in managing the construction phase of the project.
What are the 50-year and 100-year storms/floods? This is a calculation that predicts the odds of flooding in a given area based on the history of flooding during the stated period of time.
100 year means a designated area has a 1-in-100 chance (or 1% chance) of flooding in any given year. This also means it can flood more than once within a 100-year period and can even flood more than once in the same year.
Another way to think about this is if you have a 30-year mortgage on a property in an area that is designated within the “’x’ year flood zone” it stands the chance of being flooded as follows:
• The 25-year flood zone gives you a 71% chance of being flooded
• The 50-year flood zone gives you a 45% chance of being flooded
• The 100-year flood zone gives you a 26% chance of being flooded
• The 500-year flood zone gives you a 6% chance of being flooded
Ultimately, infrastructure improvements which reduce the odds of flooding within one of the previously mentioned flood zones result in better outcomes for the residents that reside within the area for several reasons. The first, because flooding is reduced, resulting in greater safety, security and reduced financial losses. Second, because this helps reduce insurance requirements and insurance rates related to flood events because fewer and fewer occur, which save you money. Third, the less likely your area is to flood the more valuable the property becomes if and when you wish to sell it or increases your equity when you do not sell, either of which puts money back in your pocket while increasing the overall value of your neighborhood.
These reasons, plus the joy and peace of mind associated with safer living are key aspects to quality of place and quality of life – all of which are the driving factors behind the Master Plan for moving Baker forward together.
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