Herman Township looks to county for OK to alleviate flooded road

By ELISA SAND, Staff Reporter

Herman Township officials came before Lake County Commissioners on Tuesday to discuss the implications of cleaning out a ditch to alleviate water issues on 236B Street.

Herman Township Board member Scott Leighton said that approximately 1,500 feet of the road is under water. The street is located north of Reynolds Slough on property owned by Wayne Reynolds.

Chuck Lebeda, district conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation District, said the NRCS office currently holds a wetland reserve easement on the property in question. While the intent of the easement is to protect wetland wildlife species, Lebeda said, it was never meant to flood the road.

A ditch was established in 1940 and later recorded. Lebeda said the ditch is currently silted in with cattails growing.

"It could use a cleaning, but it needs to be monitored," he said.

Lebeda said there is flooding because the water is pooling back up in a natural basin that was originally part of Reynolds Slough. That area contains about 700 surface acres of water. The water level is about six inches above the road.

Former township board member John Ebsen, who lives to the north, expressed opposition to the drainage. Ebsen has been battling water issues this spring and summer, he said, and water has a tendency to stop on his property.

"I think this needs to be looked at a little," he said.

Ebsen said a natural creek bed that would allow water to naturally flow south has since silted in and ceased to function.

Lebeda said the road in question was raised once in 1982, and township officials discussed raising the road again after the 1993 flood. At that time, cost estimates for raising the road two feet were $25,000.

According to the aerial view of the road, three residents live along 236B Street. Two live on the west side of the water and one lives on the east side.

While significant discussion took place, Lake County Commissioners took no action on Tuesday. Any decision the board makes will come once a permit is filed by Wayne Reynolds to maintain the ditch on his property.

©Madison Daily Leader 2010