Project Spotlight - Huntington Road Stormwater Project

Friday, November 8th, 2024

For many years, the City of Dalton has had a stormwater problem. During major storms, Dalton residents knew that certain roads or areas of town were likely to see flash flooding. But over the past four years, Dalton's leaders have been hard at work implementing the City's 21st Century Stormwater Management Plan to reduce flooding concerns throughout the City. 

One part of that plan was recently completed in the Dickson Acres subdivision on Huntington Road. A residence at 133 Huntington Road which frequently experienced flooding was purchased by the City and demolished. In its place, there is now a lovely landscaped grass field. There is drainage infrastructure built underneath the property. The field serves as a stormwater detention area, reducing the amount of water flowing into the adjacent McLellan Creek and causing issues downstream.

Caption: Where a house once stood, there is now a landscaped field at 133 Huntington Road

"You've got McLellan Creek (right next to the property) as well as another tributary creek that converge on the north boundary line of the property which causes issues. There are a lot of flooding concerns at the convergence of two creeks," said Chad Townsend, director of Dalton's Public Works Department. "That property primarily resides within the floodplain so it made total sense to mitigate the flooding concern as it relates to the house as well as to perform almost like a flood plain reconnection as well as a to create a detention area for storms there at the house that was demolished."

READ MORE - City leaders teach stormwater management at national Public Works conference

The demolition of the house removed one property that was a frequent victim of stormwater flooding, but the completion of the project also helped reduce stormwater issues for other areas. 

"(There were issues) at that location, as well as several downstream occurrences which were what we were trying to alleviate," Townsend said. "Residential properties were affected, and a section of North Tibbs Road had the potential to flood as well."

Once the stormwater management feature was completed, landscapers went to work to beautify the property and ensure that it fit in with the surrounding neighborhood. The result is a tranquil and beautiful lot, one that helps protect property and public safety when storms pass through Dalton. 

"We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from the residents of Dickson Acres," Townsend said of the finished project. "At first, there was skepticism surrounding the project but now that the project is complete, I think they’re very pleased with it and we are, too."