KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners has voted in favor of working toward a legal lake level in Texas Township after a late-running virtual meeting.
Earlier this year, Kalamazoo Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a resolution into beginning a preliminary study into the levels of both Crooked Lake and Eagle Lake.
Previous measures to combat flooding in Crooked Lake and Eagle Lake were set forth last year in the form of lake pumps, but citizens say they are still experiencing issues of road closures, flooded basements, ruined houses, and thousands of dollars in repairs and other flooding-related costs.
During a virtual County meeting held over Zoom Tuesday night, commissioners held a discussion and vote over what the next step would be, which would call for further studies into the lake level.
The purpose of the vote was to take another study of the lake levels. As written, a vote of “yes” would authorize and direct Drain Commissioner Patricia Crowley to petition circuit court to determine the lake level for Eagle and Crooked Lakes.
“What this resolution does is authorize your drain commissioner to engage legal counsel to begin that case to establish that level, and then also to do whatever is necessary from a cost standpoint for further studies and public notice requirements to initiate that process going forward,” Counselor Matt Nordfjord said.
In other words, the resolution was not to start a plan right away, but to collect more data in formulating a plan.
During public comment time at the start of the meeting, several citizens called in from Texas Township voicing their concerns over the flooding. Citizens of Texas Township wanted the commissioners to pass the resolution to further the investigation process.
However, other citizens called in from the City of Kalamazoo to express concerns of flooding. Concerns stem from previous instances of flooding in the Downtown and East side neighborhoods. Part of the concern was the impression of favoritism to Texas Township over other parts of Kalamazoo County.
Other concerns were raised over lack of communication with citizens into possible risks associated with the matter, including flooding and health issues.
Some citizens, including Commissioner Zach Bauer, even requested that the matter be tabled until a further meeting when citizens can attend County meetings in person.
Drain Commissioner Crowley and other representatives were on call to address these concerns.
“The flow rate will not only be lower than it is now, but it will be a continuous one through, not only flooded periods, but non-flooded periods, so that the water will never get as high as it is now,” Crowley said. “The whole point is to be pro-active in reducing the level of water so you don’t have this need to remove a lot of water at one time.”
Crowley emphasized that flooding in Texas Township and Kalamazoo are two separate issues.
Deputy Drain Commissioner Jeff VanBelle was also called to explain that the pumping solution is only short-term, and that a long-term solution was needed.
“The rush is, without this, everything comes to a halt,” VanBelle said. “We need this resolution tonight so we can continue on the permanent solution. [The permanent solution] is to reestablish an outlet at Crooked Lake that existed at one time at the turn of the century that no longer exists. The flow rate of that would be 20% tops of what we’re currently pumping. The difference would be that it would flow, when those lakes begin to rise or when that water table begins to rise…it would begin to flow months, potentially years before we would ever get to this point again.”
After a long discussion, the Board ultimately voted in favor of the resolution in an 8-3 vote. During the second public comment period, citizens called in to express both their praise and disappointment into the decision.
The Drain Commission is now expected to conduct further studies into the Texas Township lake levels with help from Circuit Court.
