Soundings

By Lynn Duerod

After 20 years of construction and coordination between the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana., and the Detroit District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Fort Wayne Flood Control Project has been completed.

Numerous Corps of Engineer staff, city, county and state officials as well as Fort Wayne citizens attended the Oct. 24 2001 dedication ceremony. Visitors reviewed portions of the 54,000 feet of floodwalls and levees that border the shorelines of the St. Joseph St. Mary and Maumee Rivers, which snake their way through the city of Fort Wayne.

“We are here today celebrating the completion of our project. Challenges on this project were great, but we stuck it out with true tenacity,” said Kim Schieferstein, Fort Wayne, Flood Control coordinator. “The Corps came to our rescue like true guardian angels: bringing with them talent and consistent professionalism.”

“Our people gave 100 percent dedication to the mission, banding together their skills, which resulted in a very positive project for the people in this city, the county and at the Corps,” said Lt. Col. Richard Polo, District Engineer of the Detroit District.

The 10-mile shoreline project will now provide protection against the “100-year” flood to hundreds of homes and businesses located in low-lying areas that parallel the three rivers. “This project will benefit us now and for future generations in ways that are unimaginable,” said Hodge Patel, regional director for Indiana’s Senator Evan Bayh.

According to city officials, lives will be spared and government money will be saved, but most importantly, several homes were taken off the flood insurance rolls as a direct result of this project.

“I want to thank the Corps for doing exactly what they do best, makingi communities across the country safe,” said Andy Down, City of Fort Wayne, chief of staff, speaking on behalf of the city mayor, Graham Richard.

(Editor’s note: An in-depth article on the construction of the Fort Wayne Flood Control Project was printed in the Detroit District’s Spring 2000 “Soundings.”available on the Detroit District Web site.