Officials from the City of Belton, Missouri, needed a way to alleviate roadway flooding to protect two major roadways and 25 homes located in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) 100-year floodplain.

We were initially brought in to perform a feasibility study to determine the city’s best course of action.

Our comprehensive team of engineers, planners, and scientists decided the most cost-effective way to provide flood control was to create a new regional, multipurpose lake that would also provide recreational benefits, improve water quality, and protect against future stream erosion. City leaders gave the OK, and we were charged with planning and designing the Cleveland Regional Lake Stormwater project.

To create the lake, we worked with FEMA and with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to obtain the required permits. We also facilitated the creation of a stream conservation easement to help offset the Section 404 stream mitigation costs.

The lake manages about 900 tributary acres and includes an earthen dam and spillway system and pretreatment wetlands and sediment forebays.

We provided full water resources engineering, survey, geotechnical explorations and testing, geotechnical design, environmental assessments, aquatic habitat design, and construction management for the project.

In addition to improving the city’s downstream flood levels to protect homes and roadways, the lake provided a popular recreational and educational spot for Belton’s residents. The area includes pedestrian trails, wetland boardwalks, a boat launch, green spaces, forested areas, and an outdoor classroom that is used by nearby schools.