DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — For Dearborn Heights residents on Hanover and Currier streets, it’s an occurrence that’s all too common.
The deluge of water last June and July flooded these streets again along with many basements.
Kyle Moore has been luckier than some of his neighbors. He told 7 Action News over his fence Monday that his basement last flooded in 2014. But he still does all he can to prepare.
“I got everything graded to that 2014 level, so I think I can withstand if we get an inch or two. I think I should be OK, and I think a lot of other neighbors are in the same boat," Moore said.
Moore grew up in this neighborhood and now owns his childhood home. Given the flooding history in metro Detroit, Moore says he watches the weather forecast closely.
"I was just on the phone with my buddy and I said, 'I got the alert on my phone (about) the flood advisory or warning.' So I start looking on the radar right away. But I think we'll be OK," Moore said.
Across the street, Dawn Berry is renting her home. She took us to the backyard to show the steps she is taking in hopes of keeping her basement dry and it includes inflatable sandbags.
"You stack them up so high and then the water from the creek will sometimes come through and come down into my steps. And that's how water comes into my basement because from the creek, it comes in this way and from the street, it comes in this way too, then it comes into the door" Berry said of an outside door that leads to her basement.
Ecorse Creek overrunning its banks is a major part of the issue. The city is working on short-term and long-term fixes, but it takes time, money and cooperation with county, state and federal governments.
“We’re trying to buy as many homes as we can off the Ecorse Creek — the flood area — demolish them and potentially with our city engineer, we’re going to try to do some type of basin or retention in that area to try to maybe see if we can widen the creek or try to deviate the water into that area where the homes used to be,” Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi said.
Though plans are in the works to fix the issue, the immediate problem for homeowners remains, and that's dealing with flood waters and the devastation that follows when heavy rain comes. Many are hopeful there isn't the downpour that leads to that trouble.
