A truck kicks up a wake as it fords the standing water in the 11000 block of Golfcrest in Taylor’s Charter Oaks Village subdivision.
TAYLOR — The Jacques Drain, which caused flooding in the Charter Oaks subdivision and surrounding areas, is being cleaned out.
Wayne County contractor Chevrette Gradall began the cleanup of the Jacques Drain south of Brest Road Sept. 5 by removing trees along the drain by using an excavator, or forestry mulcher. Tree removal along the drain will continue for about two weeks. Then the cleaning of the drain will start.
The cleaning will add a little additional depth and width, but more importantly remove debris from the drain that is impeding the flow. The Jacques Drain flows into the Sutliff and Kenope Drain, near the National Guard facility on Beech Daly.
The work is being inspected by Spicer Group on behalf of Wayne County, which maintains the drain. Spicer officials indicated that they will be notifying property owners abutting the work.
In addition, some foot bridges over the drain that were installed by residents in the vicinity and inhibit the drainage flow will also be removed.
Final completion date is Nov. 16.
Last spring, Charter Oaks residents witnessed deep street and backyard flooding. The subdivision is located behind Taylor Exemplar Academy, south of Goddard Road, between Inkster Road and Cape Cod Street. Upon inspection, emergency pumps in the retention pond were working adequately, and the sewers in the subdivision were unblocked.
The flooding issues were directly linked with the Jacques Drain. Flood waters entering the drain were not dissipating quickly enough, and were overflowing directly back into the subdivision, moving in a circular path instead of dispersing downstream.
Source: City of Taylor