BOARDMAN — Even as the township prepares for the design phase of a $47 million, federally funded flood mitigation project, crews are working on smaller-scale improvements to minimize damage from rainwater.

The Forest Lawn Stormwater Park on Market Street is progressing and several other localized projects have been completed or are underway. All projects are overseen by the ABC Stormwater District.

The district includes Austintown, Boardman and Canfield townships. It is financed by the taxpayers of these areas.

Boardman Road Department Superintendent Marilyn Kenner thanked the district for its efforts, which include securing a $35 million flood mitigation assistance grant from the Federal Flood Management Agency. emergencies that will overhaul the entire stormwater management system around Cranberry Run and Boardman Plaza.

“We do so much with ABC, and sometimes people don’t realize how much the district has done for Boardman,” she said.

After approving the FEMA grant in October, the agency immediately released $3 million to begin the design and planning phases, Boardman Administrator Jason Loree said.

But it will take five to seven years for this project to deliver benefits to residents and businesses affected by flooding during severe storms.

Meanwhile, Kenner said, several hyperlocal projects, valued at more than $2.3 million, are nearing completion in the township, and the $3.6 million Forest Lawn project is well underway.

LARGE HOLES

On Pierce Drive, the township must install a deep storm sewer to compensate for damage caused by gaps in pipe joints.

The resulting leaks caused large holes in residents’ yards. These have been temporarily filled with dirt and rocks, but they will continue to wash away and grow unless a liner is run inside the pipe to allow water to flow without leaking .

Along St. Albans Drive, the township completed the design phase of a $62,000 project to replace a deteriorated stormwater pipe between two homes that also created a large sinkhole. Kenner said the district is waiting for a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers because the work will have to be done along a natural waterway.

Tenders will open Friday for Phase 1 of a $472,000 project that stretches from Colleen Drive to Lockwood Boulevard. There, the township will replace a three-barrel pipe system to guide water from the village of Lockwood along a natural waterway.

“We’re replacing these pipes because they’re so deteriorated that a driveway is collapsing and there are holes in residents’ yards, so we need something much more efficient,” Kenner said.

The second phase of the Colleen project is currently being designed. This part will partially remove a stormwater pipe behind several residences and cover other parts of the pipe, all depending on the degree of deterioration. The second phase is budgeted at approximately $1.5 million.

Along Baymar Drive, the poor condition of the storm sewer had created several holes in the road and yards. The municipality completed the work in September, replacing parts of the pipe and covering others. The project totaled $256,400.

And along Pennsylvania Avenue, near the El Vallarta restaurant and the Poland Village border, the cover of a box-style concrete catch basin installed by the Ohio Department of Transportation had deteriorated due to a long-term exposure to salt and other traffic detritus. Kenner said the sump pit was replaced two weeks ago for $21,430.

FOREST LAWN

The largest of all the projects – except the FEMA project – is the Forest Lawn Stormwater Park on the site of the old Market Street School.

Officials said the completed project will include an outdoor pavilion with a laboratory out front for middle school students to conduct science experiments, such as testing water quality samples and planting rain gardens.

Kenner said the township received a $750,000 state grant, but is still seeking other funding. The pavilion is in the design phase, but the final design will depend on the funds available to build it.

To the rear of the property will be the retention pond to collect water from the Cranberry Run watershed, significantly reducing flooding threats to homes and businesses along Market Street, Southern Boulevard and neighborhoods surroundings. The park will also include trees whose roots will suck up some of the water and beautify the area, pollinator gardens to do the same, and a hiking trail and bike path.

So far, Kenner said, they have already replaced a sanitary sewer pipe in the middle of the property, working with the Mahoning County Sanitary Engineer’s Office.

“It will no longer leak or allow water infiltration. So we expect there to be fewer backups in the sanitary sewer systems of homes in this area during a major storm,” she said.

In addition, the municipality will build an S-shaped stream to lengthen the canal and slow down the water.

“So when big storms occur, the floodplain will be destroyed and it will serve as a holding area until the water level drops and can flow normally,” Kenner said.

Kenner said the stormwater park will be operational in the spring and the contractor has until October 2025 to install all seedlings and plant life.

For residents who have suffered from sanitary sewer backups, Kenner said there is some financial assistance available to provide relief.

The best approach, she says, is to purchase a backflow prevention system. However, it can cost around $8,000 to install.

The process usually involves installing a sump pump and connecting it to the basement footer drains, then placing the check valve over the basement drain to prevent water from coming up through it. here.

Kenner said Mahoning County would pay up to $3,600 and ABC would contribute up to an additional $1,500.