More work planned for Peach Creek

TONY BROWN/DAILY FORUM
Peach Creek, a key component in the city’s storm water drainage system, should run a little wider and a little faster this summer following planned work to clear and straighten the watercourse north of Route V. Public Works Director C.E. Goodall said similar efforts over the last few years have significantly reduced flooding along the creek, which passes through numerous residential neighborhoods.

The city of Maryville is expected to open bids this week from contractors interested in clearing, widening and straightening up to 500 linear feet of Peach Creek, a stream running from north to south across the length of Maryville through the west-central part of town.

A primary carrier for much of Maryville’s storm water runoff, Peach Creek is both a blessing and a curse for the city. The role it plays in collecting runoff — and keeping rainwater out of the sanitary sewer system — is essential. However, after heavy rains the stream often floods, resulting in yards filled with standing water and wet basements, especially on the south end of town.

Over the past few years, the city has taken steps to improve the flow of Peach Creek, work that has included dredging and straightening the watercourse about 250 feet north from the South Munn Avenue-Route V intersection.

In addition, the Department of Public Works installed a new flood basin and rocked a portion of the stream bank a couple of years ago at the site of new residential housing on West Fifth Street just east of the Northwest Missouri State University campus.

Other work has included anti-erosion efforts in Judah Park carried out by Maryville Parks & Recreation.

Public Works Director C.E. Goodall said the combination of projects has significantly increased the capacity of Peach Creek to carry large amounts of water following storms.

“We’ve gained a lot of storage in the creek,” he said. “There is a lot more volume.”

Still, much remains to be done, and Goodall said this year’s dredging, which will extend the work begun near the Route V intersection still further north, won’t be the last such project the city undertakes.

But things are improving, and Goodall expects this year’s round of digging, widening and straightening to keep more landowners higher and drier longer than has been the case in the past.

“The work we’ve done has helped improve drainage through the whole city,” Goodall said. “I know there has been a decrease in the number of phone calls. It’s definitely making a difference.”

The specifications contractors are to bid on this week call for improvements along the creek stretching a minimum of 260 feet. If the bids come in low enough, the city will award an “alternate” contract adding an additional 240-foot section for a total of 500 feet.