The city of Jackson's lack of flooding is no accident, thanks to strategic infrastructure and community efforts.
- Longtime residents say flooding has never been an issue in the city of Jackson.
- City officials credit the lack of flooding to strategic infrastructure, including a drainage system that flows into the Grand River and regular city maintenance.
- Residents help prevent flooding by keeping local storm drains clear of debris like leaves and grass clippings.
Don Horn has lived in Jackson since 1989. He said flooding has never been an issue since moving to the area.
"Yeah, it's been real good for our area. We've never had any problems with that," Horn said.
Christina Crouch with the city of Jackson told me the lack of flooding is due to careful planning.
"There was a lot of thought put behind our infrastructure when we had draining setup for our community. They made sure to have the drainage systems all go to one place, and that is the Grand River," Crouch said.
Crouch told me Jackson has an advantage, having the city be at a slight incline from the Grand River. She also told me multiple water basins as part of the drainage system are flushed a few times a year, and regular upkeep is done on sweeping the roads.
But it isn't just about what the city is doing. Crouch told me there are ways for residents to do their part in their daily lives as well.
"Making sure you're not putting larger debris down the drains. Don't put your leaves and grass clippings down the drains for instance," Crouch said.
Neighbors like Horn already make an effort to be good stewards of the local drainage system.
"We have a drain right there by our driveway, so I just keep that cleared out. Any other drains that I see that have leaves stuffed in it and paper and stuff, I clean them out," Horn said.
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