Bruceville-Eddy crews to widen ditch after neighbor's repeated flooding

Mayor Owens called the June 25 council meeting to order and the council took action after a resident described repeated flooding at his home on Mackie Ranch Road.

Al Beck, who said he lives at 7269 Macki Ranch Road, told the council a heavy rain about a week and a half earlier sent a "wave of water" across the street into his front door, the second time in two years he said his house flooded. He described a 16-inch driveway culvert that he believes is undersized and said a large adjacent field produces sheet flow that overwhelms the roadside ditch.

The complaint prompted a multi-council discussion about maintenance and responsibility. Jean (city staff) said she had contacted the county and that county crews planned to assess the site for silt and clearing but could not give a firm time frame. City members noted the county previously maintained one side of the roadway but told staff that annexation and rule changes shifted responsibility.

Councilman Wiggins and others pointed to earlier work where the city deepened a ditch in front of another house and urged a similar, immediate fix for Beck's property. Wiggins moved and the motion was seconded to have the city's crew clean, widen and deepen the ditch in front of Mr. Beck's house and to consider doing the same across the road. Council members asked staff to coordinate with county crews where responsibilities overlapped.

The council approved the motion unanimously. Mayor Owens said the city will act "as best we can" and coordinate with county staff, while noting that deeper ditches can create maintenance concerns such as mowing access and potential liability.

What happens next

City staff said crews will inspect the ditch and culvert sizes, remove silt where possible and attempt to match the depth used successfully elsewhere in town. County coordination will continue for work on the opposite side of the road. Councilmembers and staff also discussed the option of a formal engineering study or a longer-term redesign if frequent "abnormal" storms continue to cause overflows.

The council's vote directs operations and maintenance work by city crews rather than directing a new capital redesign; any larger redesign or retention-pond work would require further study and a separate decision by the council.