The city is looking to do several large rain gardens demonstration projects in targeted heavy flooding areas in northeast and southeast sections of the city. The city is looking at locations in city parks, city-owned vacant land, and city-owned parking lots.

Dearborn would like to utilize CDBG-DR funds to expand their urban forestry programs as a flood mitigation tool. The City is looking at planting trees in City parks, on City easements, and vacant City-owned lots.

CDBG-DR funds will be used to help fund the Dearborn Green Schoolyard Project at Salina Schools in southeast Dearborn. This project calls for the installation of garden pavilions, courtyard pavilions, playscapes, landscaping, rain gardens, pollinator gardens, and trees.

The Dearborn Fire Department is proposing to procure and warehouse, as a flooding response readiness measure, an inventory of flooding response kits to aid residents affected by flooding. These kits would be deployed as part of flooding response for events resulting in property damage or other hazards to the health of residents in their homes or businesses.

This first phase will be to install a concrete headwall structure, gates, and dewatering pumps at the end of the Colson-Palmer stormwater line which will keep the backwater, sediments, and debris from the Rouge River out of the stormwater line. 

The prevention of river water from flowing into the stormwater line will allow the rest of the Colson Palmer stormwater line to be rehabilitated. This second phase would allow for inspection, removal of debris and sediment in the line, and repair if needed. This rehabilitation would restore the stormwater line to its full 12-foot open area, increase the storage area for stormwater, and ultimately allow it to carry significantly higher amounts of stormwater to the river.

The Oakwood Blvd project consists of significant elements to improve non motorized pathways for pedestrians, cyclists, and others traveling by means other than motor vehicles, and significant investments in stormwater management, including a deep storm sewer main sized to support storm and sanitary sewer separation and trees and other plantings along the pathways to help contain flooding in the surrounding area. 

A first phase will consist of using bioretention on streets in the northeast and southeast areas of the city. For phase two, the City will explore other green infrastructure projects after a comprehensive study of the City’s sewer and stormwater system is completed later this year.