Construction has started on the two pieces of infrastructure designed to mitigate future flooding of basements on properties in the Black Walnut area adjacent to the Sixteen Mile Creek. The work is being carried out by Clearway Construction Inc. Both pieces – the pump station and the trench dewatering system – are automated equipment designed to detect the amount of water in the foundation drain collector system and when it reaches a certain point will automatically pump water out of the FDC and into the stormwater system. The trench dewatering system will operate regularly to ensure there is sufficient capacity in the FDC while the larger pump station serves as a back-up that will be particularly useful during thunderstorms where there is a lot of rain over a short period of time. Think of it as a ‘super’ sump pump. This pump is being constructed first and is contained within the Cactus Gate parkette (pictured). Immediately following that, the trench dewatering system will be installed within the road right-of-way at the intersection of Black Walnut and Cactus Gate, requiring lane restrictions and road closures over the period of the construction.
It is hoped that, by removing water and creating capacity in the FDC upstream, this will have a positive effect on all properties near the creek downstream to the Osprey Marsh as well. Once the pumps are installed, further monitoring of water levels will continue in order to evaluate their effectiveness and the current High Water Protocol will remain in place as an added measure to prevent flooding until such time as it is determined no longer necessary.
