Clearwater Drive
on a dry day.

Underwater on
June 2nd, 2005

Could a simple solution exist?

 (click on images for larger picture)

Why are some Indian Trail residents so angry?  Because they believe their constant flooding problems would be resolved if the inadequate sized pipes running under Clearwater Drive were replaced.  The N.C. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) is ready to do their part however, they "must have a commitment from the Town" of Indian Trail before they can proceed .  Unfortunately the Town of Indian Trial has been unwilling or unable to facilitate this.

The aerial view (below) shows how the inadequate sized pipes under Clearwater Drive get overwhelmed whenever it rains.  The pipes and the road then act as a dam holding the water back and causing it to spread out, flooding the surrounding homes.  The town of Hemby Bridge already did their part over two years ago.  Recognizing the problem, Hemby Bridge acted in a timely manner to coordinate with the N.C. DOT to get the pipes under Millgrove Road replaced with much larger capacity pipes.  The Town of Hemby Bridge found money in their budget to extend the DOT's new pipes across private property to further protect their citizens' property from potential flooding.

The DOT has been ready for some time to replace the undersized pipes under Clearwater Drive in Indian Trail.  However, they can not proceed until the Town of Indian Trail resolves a right-of-way issue involving a section of buried  pipe that is beyond the road, outside of the DOT's control.  Why has Indian Trail been so slow to work with the DOT to resolve this problem?  A response from any Indian Trail town official is welcomed.  Please send me an email, call me or respond through the ITFYI Forum. Are the facts presented here in dispute? Can you explain what the hold-up is? I and many others would really like to know.  Anyone may participate in a discussion on this subject in the ITFYI Forum  Link to Forum

Large Pipes on
Hemby Bridge
side

Inadequate Pipes
on Indian Trail
side that are causing the flooding

Click Image

Every flooding problem is different.  This particular case is one of inadequately sized pipes under the road.  This is not something that the homeowners can possibly fix without the help of their local government.  Instead of addressing the real problem, Mayor Sandy Moore offers to "help" the neighborhood by assisting the citizens with clearing debris from the creek bed.  That's great and that may be needed in the future.  Unfortunately, today it doesn't matter how clear the creek bed is, if the water can't get past the inadequately sized pipes under Clearwater Road, the water is going to back-up and flood peoples' homes.  This is not rocket science.  "Politics" is the only way to explain why this particular 27 year old problem is still a problem.

Reference and Supporting Information

(click to see Feb. 14, 2005 Letter from DOT to Mayor Sandy Moore) Be sure to read the first sentence of the final paragraph of this letter.  The DOT is waiting on the Town of Indian Trail.

What's worse is the fact that it was known back as early as 1978 that this was a problem!  As the Enquirer-Journal reported on Sept. 13, 2003:

In a Aug. 28, 1978 letter from A.L. Hankins, Jr., then head of the state's hydrographic unit, he advised a highway engineer that the problem in the community was due to insufficient infrastructure.  "The major reason for the flooding problem is the fact that the stream channel as most natural channels is not of sufficient size to contain the total flood flow flood events," Hankins stated.  "Through this area, some of the home sites are located within this natural flooded area.  However, the drainage structures under and adjacent to the roadways are inadequately sized and contribute somewhat to the frequency and extent of this flooding."

Note: Clearwater Drive runs parallel to Millgrove Road and is located just behind the FoodLion on Idlewild Road near Hemby Bridge.
Click for a Mapquest Map of Clearwater Drive