Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 31, 1990 TAG: 9007310463
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A3 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The system will include a series of rainfall and upstream river gauges and computer equipment that will provide an early alert to emergency rescue personnel about the threat of flooding.
The installation work is expected to begin by October and be finished by this winter, said John Peters, the city's project engineer for the Roanoke River plan.
"A key element will be computer software equipment that will let us know projections for flooding," Peters said today.
The warning system will be financed in part with $200,000 in federal construction funds for the river project that was approved by Congress in the current fiscal year.
The House of Representatives also recently approved $2.3 million for the project in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 and the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the same amount.
The project involves widening the river channel and the construction of flood walls at several points along the 10-mile stretch of the river within the city. It also includes 4.6-mile bicycling and jogging trail.
Construction on the channel widening and flood walls is not expected to begin until 1992. The project is scheduled to be finished by 1995.
But Peters said that construction of the replacement low-water bridges on Wiley Drive could begin next year.
The city's share of the cost for the flood-reduction project is $14 million and the federal share is $20 million.
City voters approved a $7.5 million bond issue last year to help pay the city's share. The remaining $6.5 million in city funds will come from several sources, including earlier appropriations and land donations.
The recent signing of the so-called local cooperative agreement between the city and the Army Corps of Engineers clears the way for construction.
The city can begin acquiring the land and easements for the project. Many landowners have agreed informally to donate property to widen the river channel.
Federal regulations barred the city from acquiring land and easements until the agreement was signed.
Rep. Jim Olin said recently he's confident that Roanoke will get about $20 million in federal money.
"The chances of getting the rest of the federal money are very, very high. We don't expect any trouble from here on out," Olin said.
The corps says the project would have prevented six of Roanoke's 15 worst floods by putting the high waters back within the river banks. Eight others would have been less severe.
by CNB