Kuipers Drain

The Kuipers Drain is an intercounty drain stretching across Allegan and Ottaway Counties. This project focused on an upstream area of the drain near Holland that crosses beneath I-196. After heavy storm water events, flows would build up on the upstream side of I-196 and cause flooding across the highway and adjacent lands. Additionally, storm flows would impede on the downstream Tulip Intercounty Drain causing severe erosion and sedimentation.

Spicer Group was hired to improve the open-channel of the drain and construct a new 14-acre detention pond moved forward. Innovative efforts by the Allegan County Drain Commissioner to maximize a team effort between MDOT, the ODCMG and Spicer Group proved to be very beneficial in the successful design of flood reduction, water quality enhancement, and funding.

The ODCMG provided the land needed to construct the detention basin, which also helped fulfil their objective of improving the surrounding watershed by enhancing upstream tributary flows. MDOT provided the funding means to construct the project, and they also accomplished their goal of resolving the flooding issues along and on I-196. Spicer Group assisted by identifying solution options and providing valuable engineering assistance.