Project Timeline
1996• City commits to developing Citywide Stormwater Management Plan |
1999, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011• Heavy rainfall leads to significant flooding in the area • Presidential Disaster Declarations are issued |
1999• City commissions an engineering study called the Drainage Basin Master Plan |
2001• City Council adopts Drainage Basin Master Plan |
2003• City Council forms a Citizen Advisory Committee to work on the Bee Branch Creek Alignment Study • A stormwater management utility fee is established • The Carter Road Detention Basin is complete |
2004• The Citizen Advisory Committee completes the Bee Branch Alignment Study • The committee recommends restoring the Bee Branch Creek into an open waterway • City Council adopts the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project |
2005• Environmental clearance work begins for the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project • Appraisals, acquisition, and relocation of affected properties begins |
2008• City hires a consulting team to develop the final design for the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project |
2009• The design team holds a series of three public workshops to gather input from citizens • The W. 32nd Street Detention Basin is complete |
2010• Properties affected by the Lower Bee Branch are deconstructed and removed • Construction of the Lower Bee Branch begins |
2011• Lower Bee Branch complete |
2012• Streets and parking areas in the Historic Millwork District are converted to permeable pavement surfaces and new storm sewers are installed |
2013• Project is awarded $98.5 million from the Iowa Flood Mitigation Board in the form of state sales tax increment financing spread over the next 20 years |
2014• Twenty-three alleys in the Bee Branch Watershed are reconstructed into green alleys |
2015• Construction of the Upper Bee Branch begins • Twenty-eight green alleys are completed |
2016• Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration under construction • Twenty-one green alleys are completed • HUD awards the City $31.5 million in disaster resiliency funds for the Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency Program and infrastructure improvements |
2017• Upper Bee Branch Creek complete |
2019• Bee Branch Railroad Culverts Project estimated completion |
2020• Flood Mitigation Gate Replacement Project estimated completion |
2021• 22nd St./Kaufmann Ave. Storm Sewer Capacity Improvement Project estimated completion • 17th St./W. Locust St. Storm Sewer Capacity Improvement Project estimated completion • Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency Program estimated completion |
2022• Flood Mitigation Maintenance Facility estimated completion |
2024• Green alley reconstruction projects resume |
2025• Water Plant Flood Protection estimated completion |
2038• It is estimated that all 240 alleys in the Bee Branch Watershed will be converted to permeable green alleys by 2038. |