Fema floodplain map shows that Hill Place plan remains major threat to people downstream

The maps based on aerial photos below are reasonably new, and people who live in some houses along the Town Branch of the West Fork of the White River between Eleventh Street and Fifteenth Street who are paying on mortgages on their homes now have to pay for flood insurance.
A close look at the maps reveals that FEMA now acknowledges not only that many buildings in that stretch are either IN or immediately adjacent to the acknowledged flood plain but also that much of the infrastructure for the failed Aspen Ridge site was built in the flood plain between Sixth and Eleventh streets west of South Hill Avenue.
People who have lived in the neighborhood a long time know that the actual floodplain is much wider in places than the FEMA map shows.
While the developers of the Hill Place project are being required to remove a sewer line and blocks much of the flow under the bridge at Eleventh Street, they have not been told to build their proposed traffic bridge higher than the current walkiing bridge. In fact, they are proposing to build the traffic bridge LOWER than the walking bridge built in 2005 or 2006 across the stream. Because federal agencies will barely even look at the plans, the city must make the decision on this further construction in the floodplain.
In 2003 and 2004, the developers claimed that FEMA maps did not show floodplain in the area. Neighbors pointed out that the Town Branch FLOWED OVER much of that land frequently even though the government had not designated it as floodplain and that, not only did the stream flow over the bridge at Eleventh Street but sometimes flowed over the bridge at Fifteenth Street.
Just another example of NIMBIES being ignored in favor of developers and builders who don't care what harm their projects might do as long as they are able to reach the density level required to make a huge profit. People who say "Not in my backyard" in this neighborhood have seen the water there (and some have seen it in their houses or flowing in front of their houses); so they aren't talking about a trivial problem.
The lowest portion of the former wooded wetland at the southeast end of the project must be dug out and structured to pre-Aspen Ridge grade or lower to reapproach the historical flood-prevention capacity of that land.
No further paving should be done southeast of the existing walking bridge and the impervious fill dirt should be removed and water again should be allowed to soak into appropriate organic soil.
Developers claim their right to build as long as their project doesn't send more water off their land than flowed off there before.
They use voodoo mathematics that ignore overflow from the Town Branch and that ignore the nearly 100 percent permeability of the surface of the area before it was cleared and filled with rocky dirt and red clay.
They rely on the fact that water has threatened the downstream homes a little more each year during the decades the University of Arkansas has filled similar land on the campus and covered or dredged absorbent soil on the campus in favor of non-absorbent, non-organic soil and concrete.
Now is the time to begin to require developments to DECREASE downstream flooding, not aggravate it and blame the university for its building practices. Multiple wrong decisions don't add up to a right decision.

FEMA floodplain map of Aspen Ridge/Hill Place and streets downstream

Please click on images to ENLARGE.


These are reasonably new maps and people who live in some houses along the Town Branch of the West Fork of the White River between Eleventh Street and Fifteenth Street now have to pay for flood insurance if they have a mortgage on their homes. A close look at the map reveals that FEMA now acknowledges not only that many buildings in that stretch are either IN or immediately adjacent to the acknowledged flood plain but also that much of the infrastructure for the failed Aspen Ridge site was built in the flood plain between Sixth and Eleventh streets west of South Hill Avenue.
In 2003 and 2004, the developers claimed that FEMA maps did not show floodplain in the area. Neighbors pointed out that the Town OVERFLOWED much of that land frequently even though the government had not designated it as floodplain and that, not only did the stream flow over the bridge at Eleventh Street but sometimes flowed over the bridge at Fifteenth Street.
Just another example of NIMBIES being ignored in favor of developers and builders who don't care what harm their projects might do.

Please attend meeting Thursday

PLEASE CLICK on IMAGE for EASIER READING.

Litter in streams is irritating. Silt in streams is devastating

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE OF Hill Place/Aspen Ridge silt fence failiing to keep silt out of the Town Branch of the West Fork of the White River. The view is south along the area dredged out of Pinnacle Prairie to make room for the foundation of a new portion of Brooks Bayou (Brooks Avenue, I mean) to route traffic to connect to Twelveth Street and S. Duncan Avenue.
People who live on 12th Street don't want the traffic routed there and a decades old city promise to residents was relied on to prevent his from happening. Because Pinnacle Foods Inc. owns the land on either side of this incomplete road and keeps it as a barrier around its freezer plant for safety of the residents of the neighborhood and security for the factory's ammonia supply and other reasons, a trail through that natural wetland prairie would be an excellent side route for the Heritage Trail along South Hill and South Duncan Avenues. Despite the factory and the houses nearby, the prairie area would give walkers and bicyclists a close view of what the land may have looked like before settlement.

One of the problems that stormwater educators have said they have difficulty overcoming is that the public sees litter in a stream and talks about litter. Silt is easy to spot only when muddy water is flowing. Protecting water quality requires stopping inappropriate siltation. Preventing littering is important but insignificant if a stream is allowed to silt in.
Careless people everywhere litter. Getting a small crowd together and cleaning up the trash tossed on the ground and washed down storm drains to a stream isn't difficult.
Careless developers may or may not litter. But their inattention to stormwater regulations can totally change the ecology of a stream in a short time. Getting them to care and to understand is the hard part.

Natural raingardens and stormwater-absorbing wetland deserve protection

Twelve-flower cluster of native trumpet honeysuckle flowers on World Peace Wetland Prairie on May 9, 2008.

Please click on photo to MAGNIFY view of Lonicera sempervirens, the native, non-invasive, loose-climbing and gently twining trumpet honeysuckle photographed on May 9, 2008. The 11 flowers shown come from a single stem between the last two leaves at the ends of new growth, which are joined at their bases and grow cup-like around the stem. The flowers grow out from there and the berry-borne seeds will eventually replace them. Unlike its relative, Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica), Lonicera sempervirens (also known in some areas as coral honeysuckle) will not spread out of control, and its sparse vines won't strangle shrubs, small trees or tall grass.

Reporter: What is the world's greatest problem? UA's longest-tenured biologist: overpopulation

Team-breeding award goes to Duggars!

The Morning News reports that cable administrator fired by city

City of Fayetteville reportedly fires Cable Administrator Marvin Hilton


The Morning News reports that City of Fayetteville has fired Cable Administrator Marvin Hilton

War Eagle Appreciation Day tomorrow (May 10, 2008) north of Huntsville, Arkansas

Please see
War Eagle Appreciation Day 2007 photos for a sample of what has been and may be again tomorrow.



Free Music, Food, Education at War Eagle Appreciation Day on Saturday May 10, 2008

Shannon Wurst, the Mountain Gypsies, and Crossroad Country will take the stage from 2-7 p.m. Saturday during War Eagle Appreciation Day at Crossbow Pavilion in Withrow Springs State Park about five miles north of Huntsville off Arkansas 23. Admission is free. Organizers suggest members of the public bring lawn chairs. A cookout sponsored by Arvest Bank and the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce will be provided from 4 to 7 p.m. The event also includes a float that morning led by educators with Ozark Natural Science Center, Audubon Arkansas and Beaver Water District; a stream cleanup that morning led by Madison County Solid Waste & Recycling, and educational booths with hands-on activities. Visit www.bwdh2o.org for more information. Or call 479-756-3651.

War Eagle is a sub-watershed of Beaver Lake Watershed. A watershed is an area of land that drains water, sediment, and dissolved materials to a common receiving body or outlet, which in this case is Beaver Lake, the primary source of drinking water for most of Northwest Arkansas. The purpose of the event is to draw attention to the rich history of War Eagle and the many benefits that War Eagle Creek brings to Madison County and Northwest Arkansans.
Amy L. Wilson, Director of Public Affairs, Beaver Water District, P.O. Box 400, Lowell, AR 72745
awilson@bwdh2o.org
479-756-3651 (office)
479-263-4584 (cell)
Beaver Water District, the second largest drinking water supplier in Arkansas, supplies drinking water to more than 250,000 people and industries in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and surrounding areas. For information, visit www.bwdh2o.org.

Water-tolerant trees in Aspen Ridge/Hill Place overflow area 12/5/04

Please click on image to enlarge photo of a portion of the southeast overflow area along the Town Branch of the West Fork of the White River as it appeared December 5, 2004.