Water Drainage Improvements Coming for SE Pierre
PIERRE, S.D. – The City has committed to improving storm water drainage in southeast Pierre.
At its weekly meeting Tuesday night, the Pierre City Commission approved a plan to divert storm water from parts of the PILC (Pierre Indian Learning Center) campus, as well as the residential area between East Sully Avenue and East Reen Street.
“Because of the natural landscape and elevation changes in Pierre, during major rainstorms water flows downhill and causes localized flooding in the PILC neighborhood,” said John Childs. “This project will reroute drainage and mitigate future localized flood impacts.”
Under the action taken by the commission, the City will hire a contractor to build a storm water drainage system that diverts water from the south side of Highway 34 to a natural drainage channel east of the PILC dormitories. From there, the water will naturally filter through the ground and eventually into the Missouri River.
“This project has been a longtime coming and required coordination between several federal, state and local government entities,” said Mayor Laurie Gill. “I’m very pleased that all the stakeholders were able to come together to improve the quality of life for people living and working in the impacted area.”
The City expects to start the project this summer and have the work completed by the end of the year.
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