Gun Plain Township board members discussed options to help with flooding along Gainder Road at their Thursday, March 1, regular meeting.
Township Supervisor Mike VanDenBerg said, “It’s the worst I’ve ever seen it there.”
During flooding, the township’s fire department went to the area and checked for homes that had been made totally unsafe by the water, but VanDenBerg said they didn’t find any that met that criteria. It included propane tanks floating free and water high enough to short out electricity.
VanDenBerg said he’d talked to the Allegan County Road Commission about a culvert under nearby 110th Avenue which would keep the pond that sits to the north of Gainder Road from getting too high and would keep it drained gradually.
He said a private road that connects to Gainder Road has small culverts or no culverts in the driveway and is slowing down the drainage off to the south.
Board members have discussed flooding in the area before and neither the township or residents have been enthusiastic about seeking a county drain project. The distance to the nearest drain—the Gun River—would mean high costs shared among only a few property owners.
VanDenBerg said the township could possibly do some ditching in the area, because it would benefit because of the improvement to 110th Avenue, but couldn’t spend money on fixing a private road.
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