Walker city engineer outlines flood risks, what residents and businesses can do

City Engineer Scott Connors described how Walker faces two distinct kinds of flooding and what the city and residents can do to reduce harm during a city podcast episode.

On the "Made in Walker" podcast, host Nicole De Donato asked Connors to explain the main flooding patterns in Walker. Connors said the city routinely sees flash flooding that overwhelms streets and catch basins during high-intensity storms and longer-duration riverine flooding tied to the Grand River watershed. "Flooding in Walker isn't 1 size fits all," De Donato said. Connors said, "We got about 2 inches rain in 2 hours," noting that short, intense bursts of rain often overwhelm storm sewers even when total event rainfall is only a few inches.

Why this matters: Short, intense storms can cause rapid, localized street and yard flooding, while river-driven events can be forecast days in advance. That distinction affects how the city prepares and what residents should do.

Connors described several city measures: Walker monitors an integrated flood wall along Turner Avenue that ties into the Grand Rapids system and performs spring inspections and outlet checks to ensure the wall and drainage systems work in high-water conditions. He credited public works for proactive responses during the recent storm, saying a senior staff member, Pat Poss, deployed crews in advance to clear catch-basin grates and pipes, which helped limit localized flooding.

The city also uses river-level forecasts from the National Weather Service to warn potentially affected businesses and residents. Connors said the city has advised some manufacturers along Turner Avenue to elevate or move equipment when forecasts predict foot-level road flooding.

On development and long-term planning, Connors said removing vegetation and increasing pavement reduces infiltration and increases runoff. Walker and neighboring counties rely on local ordinances and development review to require mitigation—detention ponds, infiltration practices and other on-site storage—so new projects compensate for lost flood storage.

About insurance and individual preparedness, Connors said Walker participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which allows insurance agents to offer flood policies to residents. "We are part of the National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP," Connors said, and residents outside mapped floodplains can still purchase coverage to protect basements and equipment.

Practical steps for residents and businesses, Connors advised, include keeping backyard ditches, catch basins and storm sewers clear, avoiding piling leaves and sticks where they can wash into drains, and watching forecasts so they can move critical equipment off floors or onto blocks before possible inundation. He also urged attention to building elevation during construction to reduce future flood risk in older neighborhoods where infrastructure was not sized for current storm patterns.

The podcast closed with a recap of those takeaways and contact information for the "Made in Walker" show. The city engineer did not announce any new regulations or votes; the conversation focused on existing practices, recent storm experience and individual and developer-level mitigation steps.