Kalamazoo targets Northside flooding with twin 42-inch relief sewer
City of Kalamazoo Public Services Water Division, Michigan · Meeting date: November 9, 2026 · Published: November 10, 2026
Kalamazoo is proposing a major drainage intervention for its Northside neighbourhood after 8.4 inches of rain fell in April, breaking a record set in 1947. The work would address constrained sections of the State Ditch and Branch Drain and pair new trunk drainage with street and backyard drainage improvements.
Key points
- The proposed FY2027 capital plan includes about $6.2 million for Northside flood-mitigation work, according to commission discussion.
- The city plans to design a twin 42-inch relief pipe from Prouty Street and Woodward Street to the Zantman Drain, which staff said has substantial spare capacity.
- Further proposed work includes reconstructing Prouty Street drainage, adding backyard drainage connections and inlets, and addressing drainage constraints at Patterson and Woodward and Patterson and Cobb.
- The relief-pipe design is expected to start in winter, with construction targeted for spring; much of the Prouty Street work is expected in 2028 because it depends on the relief project.
Full report
Kalamazoo is proposing a Northside drainage capital programme centred on a twin 42-inch relief pipe after record April rainfall exposed capacity constraints in the drainage network serving the area.
The proposed FY2027 budget includes about $6.2 million for flood-mitigation measures, with projects distributed across major-street, local-street and wastewater capital programmes. The city’s Public Services director said the April rainfall total of 8.4 inches surpassed the previous monthly record, set in 1947, and prompted an extended investigation with the Kalamazoo County Drain Commissioner’s Office.
That work identified undersized pipe sections in the State Ditch and Branch Drain, which runs underground from the Prouty Street and Woodward Street area towards Westridge before leaving the city. The system is known internally as Peppermint Creek. Staff said the existing pipe cannot convey the flows required during severe rain events.
The proposed response is to intercept flows at Prouty and Woodward and construct a twin 42-inch-diameter relief sewer to convey water to the Zantman Drain. The Zantman Drain has “tremendous capacity” to accept the additional flow, the director said. A design contract was expected to be brought forward to start work in winter, followed by construction in spring.
The relief pipe would be followed by a wider drainage package. Kalamazoo plans to bring in an engineering firm to design the reconstruction of the Prouty Street corridor, including curb-and-gutter drainage, connections for backyard drains and underdrains intended to move standing yard water into the street system. Similar drainage work is proposed for Bosker Street, while backyard inlets are being considered along Cobb and Woodward according to local elevations.
Separate projects are planned for pipe-routing and inlet issues at Patterson and Woodward and at Patterson and Cobb. Wastewater funding is included because sanitary-sewer modifications will be needed as pipes are reconfigured, while the water fund may participate to replace old water main during the work.
Staff said aerial imagery showed parts of the Winslow and Collins additions had been celery fields before the 1950s. Soil borings have also identified clay layers that can trap water and create pressure below ground. The programme is intended to reduce both the likelihood and magnitude of flooding, although staff said flooding will remain a regional challenge.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: City Commission Committee of the Whole, City of Kalamazoo Public Services Water Division