Meadow Avenue Flood Mitigation Study
Meadow Avenue has a history of drainage problems due to the geography of the land, drainage capacity disconnections within the existing stormwater infrastructure, and lack of infrastructure in surrounding neighborhoods. In 2022, Palmer Township started working with engineering firm Herbert, Rowland, and Grubic Inc., to study drainage patterns around Meadow Avenue and determine recommendations for next steps to mitigate localized flooding in the neighborhood. Projects in this area are ongoing and have expanded to include grant applications to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The BRIC grant application was submitted in December of 2023, and public meetings to update Meadow Avenue residents occurred in January 2024. Click the following link for the information you will need. Meadow Avenue Project Update
Kingwood Street Drainage Improvements
Kingwood Street has some grading issues that cause water to pond in various areas on the residential street. HRG and Township staff were able to determine the addition of a storm sewer system to capture and drain as much water as possible would help alleviate the ponding issues. Drainage improvement plans include installing curbing down the entire street, storm sewer pipes and multiple inlets to capture stormwater, and directing flow underground to an outfall or swale. Streets with curbs can act as a channel for stormwater to help control flow down the street, rather than out onto residential yards. Construction is planned for spring of 2024.
25th Street Culvert Repair
On July 16, 2023, Palmer Township experienced catastrophic flooding events that caused damage in multiple areas of the Township. One of the areas and pieces of infrastructure damaged was the culvert along South 25th Street between Freemansburg Avenue and Burrows Street. The culvert is an old stone structure that took on damage in July and will be replaced by a new pipe to carry stormwater. Currently the Township is negotiating a Highway Occupancy Permit with PennDOT to complete work necessary to repair the culvert.
Bayard Street Drainage Study
The Palmer Township Stormwater Authority (PTSA) recently approved HRG to begin work on a drainage study of Bayard Street and the surrounding neighborhood. This is another area of the Township where grading of the land has contributed to poor drainage patterns and caused flooding issues. Preliminary discussions have included the possibility of a regional approach to a solution, but the study will take a few months to complete.
Pollutant Reduction Plan (PRP) Projects
One of the requirements of the MS4 permit program is for Palmer to produce a detailed plan for pollutant reduction that must be met by the end of the five-year permit. The required pollutant reduction is based on the watersheds that the municipality lies within, as well as the amount of sediment that is affecting the waterways. In Palmer Township’s case, a total of 194,763 pounds of sediment must be reduced in the Schoeneck and Lehigh River watersheds by June 2028. There is no sediment reduction needed for the Bushkill Creek because it is affected by pathogens, not sediment. In addition to the PRP projects, Palmer Township’s Public Works Department is diligently street sweeping to collect, quantify, and track debris removed from the streets and catch basins. For more information on PRP projects and sediment reduction, click the following link for the information you will need. PRP Recommendations
Page information will be updated periodically as more progress is made with each stormwater project. If you have any questions related to specific projects, please send them to stormwater@palmertwp.com or call 610-871-7871.
