Indianapolis - A planned flood wall is becoming a political fight.
The Army Corps of Engineers wants to extend a levy along the White River south of Kessler Boulevard, where it will join a proposed wall along the Central Canal towpath south to Butler University. But people in the Rocky Ripple and other neighborhoods want the flood wall moved back along the White River.
In the mid 1990's, Rocky Ripple, a small community on Indianapolis' north side, rejected the US Army Corps of Engineers' proposal to build a levee along the White River. In the fifteen years that ensued, the Corps managed to change their plan but now Rocky Ripple has changed their decision.
Carla Gaff-Clark has served on the Rocky Ripple Town Council since 1991. She blames the "no" vote on "misinformation and miscommunication at the time," adding "A lot of things have changed since then," including the flow of the river.
"The high points come more often than they used to," she said, because of increased development on the north side.
Now, members of the council say they will do whatever it takes to be included in the plan which is currently designed to build a wall as high as six feet tall along the Central Canal's east side from Westfield and Capitol Avenue to Butler University. But with more than 2,500 homes and businesses in the flood plain, the US Army Corps of Engineers is reluctant to redesign their plan which would cost millions more and significantly delay completion of the project.
"When Rocky Ripple fell out of this thing back, I believe in 1996, they decided they didn't want to be in it," said project manager, Michael Q. Holley P.E. "What happened was we basically completed our study without them in it."
The first two phases of the levee, which runs north along the White River from Kessler, have been completed for some time. The decision to move on with the third phase near the canal, though, was only recently announced. Rocky Ripple isn't the only neighborhood expressing concern, so are residents of Butler-Tarkington, Broad Ripple and Meridian Kessler.
Friday it elevated to a campaign issue.
"Many of us just recently learned that a major flood wall will be constructed going right down the canal area here that will remove trees and provide barriers to neighborhoods," said Democratic Mayoral candidate Melina Kennedy, "yet there was very little understanding and notice provided to the neighborhoods to share their input about this concern."
Just before Kennedy held a news conference Friday afternoon, the president of Rocky Ripple was called by the Mayor's Office to discuss the issue. Robert Tomey later met with representatives from the Department of Public Works.
Tomey said the city agreed to ask the Army Corps to extend the time for public comment. The current deadline is March 4th. Tomey said he's glad the issue has crossed party lines.
"I am very encouraged by the response that I have gotten from the mayor's office itself for our chance to be reincluded," said Tomey.
Tomey has also been in contact with Sen. Richard Lugar and U.S. Rep. Andre Carson.
If the comment period is extended, residents of Rocky Ripple, Butler Tarkington as well as Meridian Kessler will have six months to weigh in on the levee. The most significant concern amongst residents is safety, as building the wall along the canal rather than the river would leave Rocky Ripple in a compromising position.
"From what I've heard we're in a bowl so what would happen is it would come in and pretty much flood everything," said Rocky Ripple resident Kathryn Boyles. "I heard that they would have to put an electronic gate that would close that would keep the water from continuing on outside of here and I'm thinking, 'who would get here in time for elderly to get through that gate and if I had children that were sleeping and that happened in the middle of the night… what would I do if I couldn't get over this gate in time, you know?"
Gaff-Clark noted another concern. "If it flooded here on the White River and went across into the canal, then you'd be polluting the whole city's water supply. It makes no sense," she said.
Other concerns include the aesthetic impact the wall would have on the area, if built on the canal. Millie Brady, who lives in Butler-Tarkington said, it would block the view of the Canal Tow Path, a popular trail that runs along the west side of the canal.
"It would be like living in a prison. You're used to looking at the canal and all you'd see is a six-foot tall wall," said Brady.
John Barth, a past president of the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood association said, "It would really put a significant dark stain in the middle of a beautiful neighborhood."
Neighborhood groups will meet at the historic Riviera Club Monday at 7 pm to discuss the next steps. The Riviera Club, an athletic club which sits between the canal and White River, will lose ground whether a levee or flood wall is built.
At this point there is no timeline on construction of the project, primarily because of funding. The Army Corps is to provide 75% of the cost, with the city paying the rest. The federal dollars have yet to be secured.
- Mary Milz and Lindy Dobbins
