DECATUR - Recent downpours and the flooding of Lake Decatur show the city needs to improve its storm drainage system, the city's engineering and infrastructure director said.

"It's a tragedy that we had so many people who had water in their homes and their basements," Richard Marley, engineering and infrastructure director, told the Decatur City Council last week. "It's very unfortunate. But, at the same time, it points out our need to move forward with improvements to our storm drainage system."

Marley on June 16 unveiled a master plan to manage storm waters. The city also is moving ahead with a plan to improve its sanitary sewers.

"It's drainage, drainage, drainage, whether it be sewers or storm drainage," Marley said. "This is the priority."

The city recently hired a drainage engineer to plan and design improvements to the city's storm drainage system, Marley said.

Marley identified several goals, which would be funded through this fiscal year's budget and the city's capital improvement plan. Goals include:

- Complete a storm drainage master plan. Work began on the plan in 1998 but has been put on hold since 2002. The plan would identify major problems with the city's storm drainage infrastructure.

n Have the storm draining engineer review city regulations for major storms and determine if the city code allows for regulation of ravines and intermittent streams.

- Implement a citizen response system and link it to a geographic information system map. Service calls would be entered into a database, which would be linked to the map.

n Correct small problems first. Some drainage problems can be corrected with small capital investments or by enforcing current regulations.

Other proposals would require city council approval and funding. They include:

- Inspect existing detention basins. Many detention basins have been built on private property, but the city does not have an inspection program to ensure the basins are maintained.

- Evaluate possible improvements of streams and ravines. The city does not routinely maintain streams, ravines or drainage ways on private properties. Options for improving maintenance could include establishing a city-funded program or requiring property owners to do the maintenance.

- Implement the recommendations for a storm drainage master plan. "Significant" capital investments might be required to improve the city's drainage system, Marley said. Projects could be financed through bonds. Some communities have adopted storm water utilities that are supported by fees.

The recent rainfall and flooding underscores the need to improve the city's storm sewer system, council members agreed.

Lake Decatur holds about 6.8 billion gallons of water, but the lake received more than 16 billion gallons of water per day as a result of the rainfall earlier this month, and only 14 billion gallons a day could be released.

The excess water spilled over into neighborhoods flanking the lake.

Streets and sidewalks were submerged near some lakeshore properties. Residents complained of yards underwater, and some properties were littered with dead fish and logs washed ashore. Water also leaked into the lower levels of homes.

Some docks by the lake were broken apart as large debris, including logs and tree limbs, rushed along from upstream creeks and tributaries.

Mike Frazier can be reached at mfrazier@herald-review.com or 421-7985.