Improving Drainage, Reducing Flooding

Along with neglected repaving projects, the ditch and drainage systems in the township had also been disregarded for several decades. Internal township records indicate that conversations regarding the flooding of Ten Mile Creek have taken place for over 25 years, and yet there was no physical effort to address the flooding caused by numerous logjams along the Creek. New housing continued to pop up in an area that has historically flooded for decades, adding to the situation by making access more difficult to areas needing maintenance.

In reality, Ten Mile Creek is not the only ditch/creek that at times cannot handle hard and heavy rains. Numerous ditches throughout the township have been allowed to become overgrown and blocked and some subdivision drainage systems were improperly designed resulting in recurring street and basement flooding.

Starting in 2007, the Board of Trustees directed the Public Works Department to begin addressing the issue of flooding with a comprehensive and practical plan to remove log-jams, clean out ditches and evaluate subdivision drainage systems for potential improvements. Work began in 2008 and continues today, with significant progress on Hill, Smith and Schlicher ditches. Storm sewer work has been completed in one subdivision and is planned in several more. This year we also began removing logjams and other blockages in Ten Mile Creek.

At the county level, there has been talk about establishing a Storm Water Utility which is being discussed by the Storm Water Advisory Committee (SWAC). A Storm Water Utility will have the ability to assess a fee on each property in Sylvania Township, with proceeds to be used to monitor the water quality in our area. A final fee amount has not yet been determined, but figures range from $65 to $100 per year. Despite assertions to the contrary, Lucas County under the auspices of the Storm Water Utility does not have the authority to deal with flooding and can only address issues regarding water quality.

Regardless of whether a storm water utility can deal with flooding or just water quality, SWAC's activities have been put on hold for at least 6 months as our communities deal with the down turn in the economy and the related challenges this has created for our governments. In other words, SWAC has not and will not be an answer to the flooding in Sylvania Township any time in the near future.

Addressing the issue of flooding in Sylvania Township is not a small undertaking, and remediating all of the township's flooding will definitely not happen immediately. But we are making significant progress and will continue to work on flooding issues affecting the residents and businesses of Sylvania Township.