EXHIBIT No. 1A MEASUREMENTS OF WATER LEVELS REACHED IN SEWER MANHOLES IN THE CITY OF HAZEL PARK DURING THE STORM PERIOD OF MAY 1945 [Measured from top of manhole ring down to water level-manhole depth] 92-Mile Road and John Road: 54 inches.. Stephenson Highway and 91⁄2-Mile Road: 36 inches___ Alley west of John Road on Shevlin: Manhole full to rim_. Battelle and East Garfield: 47 inches_. Battelle and Tucker: 36 inches_. Hayes and Stevens: Manhole full to rim__ East George and Stephenson Highway: 18 inches. East George and alley at John Road: 21 inches_. Stephenson Highway and Highland: 36 inches_. 15 feet 2 inches. 14 feet. 7 feet 4 inches. 15 feet. 14 feet 2 inches. 11 feet 1 inch. 9 feet 8 inches. 12 feet. 13 feet. 13 feet 4 inches. 13 feet 8 inches. Mr. BRADY. Street flooding: The annual private loss from this condition defies calculation with any degree of accuracy. Because the ground is so thoroughly impregnated with water, 60 percent of Hazel Park's 64 miles of residential streets become impassable from 4 to 6 weeks each year. It is not uncommon to see 4 or 5 hundred of Hazel Park's 3,800 motorists parking their cars on the two paved thoroughfares and thus exposing them to thieves, pilferers, and vandals, because they cannot reach their homes. A check on the towing record of local garages shows a total of 160 motorists stuck in the mud in a single 24-hour period. The annual loss on damaged cars attributable to these flood conditions would undoubtedly be incredible. The attached photographs are illustrative of the conditions described. (Photographs on file with committee.) Although most of these matters are common to all South Oakland County cities, an attempt has been made on the part of this delegation to avoid repetition of testimony. However, it should be emphasized that Hazel Park, along with the other seven South Oakland County units of government representing 130,000 people, have done everything possible to bring this situation under control, and submit that, in view of other evidence presented, the problem admits of practical solution only if treated as an integrated part of the entire Clinton River drainage basin. Hazel Park citizens realize the tremendous costs involved and freely joined the $1.500,000 FWA sewage disposal project to eliminate the pollution of Red Run on the premise that it would meet the objection. of Macomb County authorities to its improved use as a storm water outlet. We recently voted-April 1, 1946-to appropriate $416,000 and a $3 per thousand increased tax rate for additional sewer facilities, only to find on April 9 that we were faced with court proceedings to prevent us from carrying on plans to improve the Red Run, our sole outlet, even though we are expected to contribute to the cost of improvement on the Clinton River project. The people of Hazel Park must therefore maintain their position, taken at the hearing July 14, 1945, at Mt. Clemens, of insisting that any plan for improving the Clinton River drainage basin comprehend the problem in its entirety, and, while we stand ready to pay our equitable share of the costs in such a project, we are compelled to emphasize the fact that any program undertaken should not leave us bottlenecked, in the upper reaches of this drainage basin, in our present condition. We are well aware that such a large undertaking might of necessity be taken in progressive steps, and are not opposed to these steps being taken in their proper sequence. We respectfully submit that your honorable body, representing the Federal Government, is the only body having authority commensurate with the problem. The CHAIRMAN. What did you say the population of Hazel Park is? Mr. BRADY. 18,000. The CHAIRMAN. How far is it from Red Run? Mr. BRADY. We are on the Red Run. The CHAIRMAN. You are located on it? Mr. BRADY. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. How long have you been the city manager? The CHAIRMAN. Your business or profession in private life? The CHAIRMAN. You advocate an extension protection for the Red Run? Mr. BRADY. Yes, sir. I think our position on the improvement of the Clinton River is similar to that taken by the other communities in the area. However, I would like to elaborate on that just a little bit. We do not feel that Macomb County authorities would be very sympathetic to our problem once theirs is solved. For that reason we feel that it should be included in the same project. I think we have considerable more damages than the other communities, for the simple reason that we are downstream. The CHAIRMAN. The photographs you have here give the normal flow and the normal conditions and floods? Mr. BRADY. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Will you furnish the clerk copies of the photographs? Mr. BRADY. I will give her these. Your next witness, Mr. Dondero. Mr. DONDERO. Our next witness is Mr. J. F. Gibbs, city manager, Ferndale. STATEMENT OF JAY F. GIBBS, CITY MANAGER, FERNDALE, MICH. Mr. GIBBS. On behalf of the city of Ferndale and by authority of the city commission I wish to present to you some data and information with reference to the proposed improvements at the mouth of the Clinton River and to urge that you give consideration to improvements on the Red Run Creek which is a tributary of the Clinton River. The city of Ferndale comprises an area 44 square miles in southeast Oakland County lying directly north of and contiguous to the city of Detroit. Ferndale has a present population estimated at 30,000. This is based on the 1940 census with the population factor applied to the new homes which have been built since the census. Citizens of Ferndale are very largely employed in the automotive and allied industries in Detroit and Pontiac. From January 1, 1940, to the present time we have had a heavy building program in the city of Ferndale. During this period 1,577 single homes have been built at an estimated cost of $7,015,443 and 88 new factories or factory additions have been built at an estimated cost of $1,249,720. The summarized report of building permits is attached hereto as exhibit A. During the past several years the east side of the city, which is adjacent to the Grand Trunk Railroad, has developed rapidly as an industrial district. During the war factories such as Reichold Chemicals, N. A. Woodworth Co., Allegheny Ludlum Steel Co., Republic, Iron and Steel, as well as many other plants, produced millions of dollars' worth of defense material. These plants are now busily engaged on reconversion programs and will employ several thousand workmen. The majority of these plants are located in the section of the city having the lowest ground elevation and they are subject to interruptions due to flooding of the Red Run Creek. Red Run Creek is the natural water course for the storm drainage from an area of approximately 70 square miles in southeast Oakland County. Included in this area are the cities of Berkley, Clawson, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak, and a portion of the city of Birmingham, together with the township of Royal Oak and parts of the townships of Troy and Southfield with an estimated population of 130,000. All storm and surface water from this area follows the natural drainage course which is the Red Run to the Clinton River and the Clinton River to Lake St. Clair. From July 1928 until the present time we have records in our files of 14 storms which have caused floods in the Red Run Creek with considerable damage to property in the city of Ferndale. The dates of these floods are as follows: On several occasions we have had floods on the Red Run resulting in damage in this territory while there was no trouble in the Clinton River and no damage in the Mt. Clemens area. Following the storm of February 14, 1938, the engineering department of the city of Ferndale made a survey of the area flooded and estimated damage at each house. The report shows that goods and property in basements in this area were damaged in the amount of $4,470. In arriving at this figure no account was taken of time lost from work where men stayed at home in order to salvage property out of their basements or to clean up the dirt and debris left after the flood. The assessed valuation of the area flooded, according to the assessment rolls of the city of Ferndale, was $2,406.50. The real property in this flooded area is damaged as to sales value because of the danger of floods. Assuming a 5 percent depreciation we have a loss of $120,342.50 in property value. This amortized at 6 percent would amount to $7,220.55 per year. In my opinion there is a corresponding depreciation in property value in the flooded areas of Royal Oak and Hazel Park. I do not believe that these figures have been taken into account in the report of the Army Engineers. No field survey as to the property loss has been made in any except the February 14, 1938 flood. However, it is reasonable to expect that property damage resulted in all of the floods in proportion to the high water mark and the area flooded. In the area of the city where floods occur the FHA has refused to insure mortgages. This has resulted in reduced land values, and residential lots with lateral sewers, water mains and street improvements installed have remained unsold, although the listed price was $160 for a 60-foot lot. In other areas of the city where there is no flood danger these lots have readily sold for $500 to $600 each. At the present time, in my opinion, storm waters from the territory of the higher areas in the drainage districts are flowing down and are flooding and causing property damage as well as inconvenience and danger to the health of the residents in the low-lying portions of Ferndale, Royal Oak and Hazel Park. This flooding is further ag gravated by the rapid development of Warren township in Macomb County where the surface water flows into the Red Run. I am attaching hereto as exhibits pictures taken on several streets in the city of Ferndale during the storms of February 10, 1943, and May 10, 1943, together with maps showing the area of the city of Ferndale flooded. The people in this area are willing and ready to share a substantial part of the cost of improving the Red Run. This can be handled through the formation of a drainage district under the drain laws. of the State of Michigan. On behalf of the city of Ferndale, I wish to thank you for allowing us to present our testimony. We will appreciate any assistance you can afford us in solving this flood problem. I know of no project which will do more to promote the health and welfare of the 130,000 people living in southeast Oakland County any more than an improvement to the Red Run which will eliminate our annual danger from floods. The CHAIRMAN. Were you at the hearings when this matter was investigated? Mr. GIBBS. I was either at the hearings or represented by our city engineer. We submitted data to the Army engineers prior to the hearings urging the adoption of the Red Run in the flood-control problem of the Clinton River and its tributaries. The CHAIRMAN. What size municipality do you represent? Mr. GIBBS. The city of Ferndale is about 41/4 square miles in area, and has an estimated population at present of about 30,000 people. The CHAIRMAN. How far are you from the Red Run? Mr. GIBBS. We are about 2 miles from the Red Run. We are on a creek which is a tributary of the Red Run. The CHAIRMAN. You have a definite flood problem there? The CHAIRMAN. You may pass the exhibit and the map to the clerk for the consideration of the committee. What do you say to us now about whether this project should be approved or not, or whether or not we should delay it and ask for a review? Mr. GIBBS. We feel that the improvement of the Red Run is a part of the entire problem, and we urge the Army engineers to include it, and have submitted considerable data to them. We are in favor of the Clinton River project, but we feel it should be extended to include the Red River. The CHAIRMAN. What do those branches feel about it? Suppose we review this matter and then on the South Branch and East Branch they come down here and say, "We do not want you to bother the Red Run and Clinton until you look at our branches"? Mr. GIBBS. We have 130,000 people affected in our area, and that is half of the population of the total drainage basin of the Clinton River. The CHAIRMAN. What do you say about these other people on these other branches? Mr. GIBBS. I do not think they have as severe a problem as we have. I have in the statement the dates of 14 floods which have occurred in our city since July 1928 up until May 1945. The CHAIRMAN. Fourteen floods from 1928 to 1945? Mr. GIBBS. That is right. Some of these floods have been local floods on the Red Run when there was no flooded condition on the Clinton River. The CHAIRMAN. I think you are very fair in your statement. Is there any other point you wish to emphasize? Mr. GIBBS. There are 10 communities on the headwaters of the Red Run. A portion of our city happens to be the low elevation land and we are getting storm waters and flood waters, and they are coming down from the higher ground and causing damage to our people on the low land. I have pictures here which show the situation. They show the flooded condition of the streets in the industrial as well as the residential sections. The CHAIRMAN. They clearly indicate a very definite flood hazard. This is one of my specialties, study of flood pictures. These are most excellent flood pictures. Mr. GIBBS. I might state that one of the buildings shown there in that picture is a defense-plant building, and one of these floods in 1943 caused water to get up on the floor of the plant and it was necessary to shut down the plant for a portion of the day until that could be cleared up. The CHAIRMAN. Any other point? If not, we are glad to have had your statement. Mr. GIBBS. I would state, as far as our people are concerned, we are very willing to share our cost in acquiring rights of way, property damage, and so on. The CHAIRMAN. What do you say should be done to that creek, channel it out or a levee? Mr. GIBBS. It should be channeled out, deepened, and widened. The CHAIRMAN. You are perfectly willing to share the rights-ofway for the channel work and for the cut-offs just as they do down at the mouth? Mr. GIBBS. Yes, sir; our portion of that cost. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Mr. Dondero, your next witness. |