A history of flooding in Midland inspired a new advisory committee to conduct a study they hope will create a more flood resilient community.
Their goal is to raise $1-million in private donations to conduct the project at no cost to community members.
J.W. Fisher, President of Fisher Contracting and Chair of the Midland Business Alliance’s Advisory Committee on Infrastructure, said they’re close to reaching their target.
“We’ve gone out to several local businesses, big and small, and local foundations are giving, and we still have a couple applications in process,” he said. “So, we’ll be between $800 and $1-million dollars as soon as we’re done, and we should be done as soon as those two applications run their course.”
The three-part study will analyze the hydraulics and hydrology of the Tittabawassee River watershed.
Midland County Commission chair Mark Bone said the project is in its early stage.
“There’s all kinds of different options that will hopefully keep Midland drier in the future but you know we’ll wait to see after the studies have been done, what the suggestions are and what the solutions are,” he said.
Bone said the committee is working with other groups including the Army Corps of Engineers.
Fisher said the study will start once fundraising is complete. They hope to finish the study next year according to a report by the Midland Daily News.
