Flooding issues in Castle Dale/Orangeville

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

At the July commission meeting many concerned citizens from Castle Dale filled the room to talk about flooding. The past three years flooding has occurred from the Cottonwood Creek overflowing its banks. The river floods Orangeville residents and then property owners in Castle Dale. In June the properties flooded two days in a row.
All of the neighbors in the Castle Dale area known as Sewerville are getting flooded, the Williams, Bardsley, Leroys, Huggards and several others. The LaFrentz family in Orangeville is one of the ones sustaining damages on their property. Larry said he has been battling the creek since he moved here in 1987.
Devin LeRoy said he has been working on building a house and everything was flooded and he has had to start over with his project. The flooding has cost him $3,000 to date. Chuck Bardsley said they would appreciate some help from the county in working to alleviate this problem with flooding. He believes the intensity of the flooding has increased since the removal of the Russian Olives and tamarisk upstream. The river channel has silted in and branched out increasing the flood plain.
What can be done to keep the creek in its boundaries and off the private property? Johansen and Tuttle Engineering has been looking at the problem and they think a dike can be beneficial to keep water out of the structures in the area. They can realign the stream bed and clean it out; but in the event of a big flood like in the recent past, this wouldn’t hold back the river either.
Their estimate was 2,200 feet of dike could cost approximately $100,000 if materials from the surrounding area were used. Any material hauled in would add to the cost. There is an existing dike in the area that could be rehabilitated.
Where would the funds come from to work on the flooding problem? Ideas could include looking at state or federal funds. Easements from land owners would need to be given to have a dike constructed on their property.
Wade Nielsen from the county road department said he’s concerned if the county participates in building a dike then if it floods the dike and causes damages that the county would be liable and responsible.
It is believed a dike would help the flooding problem, but not eliminate it entirely. as you cannot control the river.
As time went on, Merrial Johansen said they could work on riprapping the dike as well. One property owner thought the dike would need to be extended. One property owner said debris builds up at the dip and water builds up behind it and fans out. The flooding starts at the old bridge.
Castle Dale City has issued permits for building in the area and it is zoned for residential use. Land owners in the area lose fences and crops. Bardsley said he originally didn’t build on a flood plain, but the flood plain has increased over time.
Commissioner Ethan Migliori said he appreciates the land owners coming in to address the problem. “We hope to resolve issues so that homeowners aren’t burdened,” said Commissioner Migliori. J and T will look at the cost to dig out the channel and check on permits to do that.
Commissioner Migliori said the county will put together a committee to include land owners, one commissioner and Capt. Kyle Ekker the emergency management director along with Nielsen from the road department. Brenda Tuttle the clerk/auditor will also be involved. The committee will look at solutions and explore possibilities including methods of funding.
The board approved out-of-state travel to Denver, Colo. for Jordan Leonard. economic development director to attend BEAR training.
The board approved a business license for Jamie Murdock and the Lakeview Diner at Millsite golf course. A 3 percent wage increase for Jaclynn Nelson was approved after successful completion of six month orientation period.
Robert Riley was promoted as the Dispatch/Corrections Sergeant.