Czech Village Flood Control Project Begins

Starting Monday, April 26, work will begin on an underground stormwater gate in the Czech Village as part of the City’s permanent Flood Control System.

Construction will generally occur near A Street SW and Bowling Street SW (formerly 21st Avenue), northeast of C Street SW. Impacts to vehicular traffic are not anticipated. Starting on Monday, the Cedar Valley Nature Trail will be temporarily closed for approximately 45 days while work takes place at the trail. A detour route will be established via C Street SW.

The underground gate is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. When closed during Cedar River flooding emergencies, the new underground gate prevents river water from backing up into the City’s storm sewer system and causing street flooding. The gate also reduces the City’s reliance on plugs and pumps that are annually deployed as temporary protection during high river crests.

This is just one of several flood control projects that will be underway in the Czech Village over the next two years. Additional projects include:

12th Avenue and 16th Avenue Floodgates // 2021 – 2023
With the completion of the 16th Avenue SE floodgate, remaining roller gates will be installed over the next few years. Each bridge will be closed during floodgate installation, which will be phased to keep one bridge open at all times, with a trail detour established.

• 16th Avenue SW Floodgate | Fall 2021 – Spring 2022
• 12th Avenue SE Floodgate | Summer 2022 – Spring 2023
• Given its elevation, the west side of the 12th Avenue Bridge does not require a floodgate

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Floodwall
Construction will begin this fall on a permanent concrete floodwall from the 16th Avenue SW floodgate to a future pump station just south of the 12th Avenue Bridge. The project includes a raised, terraced yard on the dry side to accommodate outdoor activities at the museum and minimize the appearance of the floodwall.

Czech Village Pump Station
Starting summer 2022, this will be the largest pump station undertaken to date. Located just south of the 12th Ave Bridge, the pump station capacity is anticipated to be over 100,000 gallons per minute (more than twice the size of the Parking Lot 44 Pump Station). Like the pump station in NewBo, the aesthetics will complement and blend with the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.

Flood control projects already completed in the Czech Village District include relocating approximately $4 million worth of underground utilities to accommodate the Czech Village flood control levee. The utility work was completed in 2017, with the levee substantially completed in 2019. The levee stretches half a mile long from the Linn County Solid Waste Agency to 16th Avenue SW. The levee is approximately 16 – 20’ tall on average, and incorporates a walking/bike trail.

To watch a presentation on all the major flood control projects underway or in design, visit the City’s website: www.cityofcr.com/floodcontrol.