The bank stabilization project on the Yellow River that Marshall County has been working on for more that 6 years is beginning to take shape.
In 2012 the stabilization project was bid with the cost a shocking $460,000 to $658,000. The county surveyor and drainage board decided to hold off on the project and look for other alternatives. The project was redesigned and in June Langfeldt Excavating was the lone bidder for the project at $55,550.
On Wednesday (9/14/16) Langfeldt Excavating of Plymouth started the project that will create a 2 to 1 slope up to about 16 feet from the river. Stone will be used as the stabilizing along with native grasses that will be placed on the hill.
This has been an ongoing project which began in 2010 when the property owner at 500 East LaPorte Street brought to the attention of the county commissioners the sloughing off of the bank into the river. As a couple of years passed the property owner began to observe large holes and voids in their side yard. That’s when the commissioners determined something needed to be done. Marshall County worked with the Kankakee River Basin Commission and purchased the home for $87,248 in November 2013.
Since that time river bank has continued to erode but with the work being conducted at this time the commissioners hope to alleviate any further erosion.
