The Midland Business Alliance (MBA) Advisory Committee on Infrastructure will be providing a progress report to the Midland County Board of Commissioners at the Tuesday, December 5, meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. in the Board Room of the County Services Building, 220 W. Ellsworth.

 “The first study with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is coming to a close soon. That study models the hydrology and hydraulics of the Tittabawassee River Watershed,” said J.W. Fisher, Advisory Committee co-chair. “In late October, we met with the Corps in Midland to map out a timeline of the second study, which looks at a variety of flood-reduction solutions that could be constructed and their feasibility.” That second study can begin as soon as Washington, D.C., legislators approve the new budget, which currently includes an appropriation to the Corps for the first year of this three-year study. The local partners for the second study would be the MBA, the County of Midland and the City of Midland.

 “While we wait for Congress to move on the budget, we are working on a number of things locally,” said Lee Ann Keller, co-chair of the Advisory Committee. “Recently, the Spicer Group crews were walking the waterways in the city to document areas with erosion, downed trees and debris. Clean-up and other projects to improve flow can help reduce overland flooding in many areas. We are also working on the best uses for the recent $40 million in state funding for Midland flood-reduction efforts.”

 In addition to the Board of Commissioners, the Advisory Committee plans to update the Midland City Council at the beginning of the year. For more information on the effort to reduce the frequency and severity of flooding and to improve resiliency, click here.