City May Hire Firm to Study Storm Water System

The Paducah City Commission is considering hiring an engineering firm to develop a comprehensive storm water master plan.

At their meeting Tuesday night, commissioners has introduced an ordinance to hire Strand Associates, Inc., for $790,000 to do the work. Strand Associates would partner with local firm BFW Engineering and Testing, Inc.

Last summer the city requested qualifications from interested firms, and got six submissions. City Engineer Rick Murphy, Storm Water and Drainage Engineer Eric Hickman, Joint Sewer Agency Executive Director John Hodges and Paducah Economic Development President Scott Darnell worked as a selection committee to score each submission, view presentations from firms, and make a recommendation. They unanimously chose Strand Associates, which has been in business since 1946 and has two offices in Kentucky.

At the meeting, Project Manager Michael Woolum expressed the commitment of Strand Associates to find ways to improve the flooding problems the city has recently faced. The company has been researching areas that have flooded, rainfall data, existing stormwater systems (natural and manmade) and topography. He made a presentation with Strand's Principal-In-Charge/Senior Planning Advisor John Lyons and BFW Assistant Project Manager Kenny McDaniel. They said computer models will use collected data, local characteristics and potential future growth to determine cost-effective solutions in managing storm water. Strand Associates recommended having public meetings throughout the process to keep everyone informed and manage the public's expectations of the project. 

The group will identification ten priority flood areas in the city, the analysis of flood mitigation alternatives, a prioritized ranking of projects along with a benefit cost analysis, and the development of a capital project program. If approved by commissioners in a March meeting, the CSMP process has an anticipated completion date by the end of 2018.