Drainage board outlines road, railroad and Deeds Creek projects as top priorities amid spring flooding

The Kosciusko County Drainage Board reported multiple infrastructure problems tied to recent heavy rains and identified coordinated repair plans with County Highway, the railroad and the city to address them.

Chair said a collapsed section of County Road 400 South is tied to failing pipe crossings and described a plan in which County Highway will remove a bad crossing and install a single new pipe; the drainage board will then redirect its tile into that new pipe and both parties will repair and resurface the road. The work includes replacing multiple degraded pipes and correcting subsidence that is causing road cracking.

Separately, the chair said standing water near State Road 13 and 900 South appears connected to a possible buried 12-inch cast-iron pipe under the railroad right-of-way; he is pursuing access with the railroad to inspect and, if necessary, dig and repair the tile. The chair said the area floods around a radio tower and a city wastewater-treatment facility and called the railroad inspection his top priority.

The board also discussed erosion along Deeds Creek where it flows through the YMCA and Parkview properties into Pike Lake. Chair said the banks are severely eroded, producing silt plumes into the lake, and said work will begin with tree removal followed by permitting and phased erosion-control work. He said the drainage fund can cover initial efforts and that additional help may come from Pike Lake stakeholders, soil-and-water conservation programs and USDA grant sources.

Chair said he has talked with a timber buyer willing to work with property owners to harvest marked trees, which could offset clearing costs. He also said the board will hire a drone contractor (insurer cleared) to scout ditches and create a visual record of problem areas.

Next steps: the chair will continue coordinating with County Highway on the 400 South crossing, pursue railroad access to diagnose the buried-pipe issue, advance permitting and tree-removal steps for the Deeds Creek project, and proceed with drone-based scouting. The transcript does not include firm schedules or detailed cost estimates for all repairs.