Carmel's worst flood damage may still be coming
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Flood damage on Hazel Dell Parkway on Tuesday morning. Photo: Courtesy of the City of Carmel
Carmel officials are monitoring a flurry of flooding unknowns around the clock to determine how disruptive recovery efforts could become — including a potentially dangerous connection between the White River and a southeast-side quarry.
Why it matters: Despite falling water levels, the most consequential effects for Carmel could still unfold as floodwaters reshape the landscape, threaten critical infrastructure, and create new public safety risks for residents.
Driving the news: A flood-battered section of Blue Woods Creek has been flowing backward toward the Martin Marietta quarry since a Saturday levee breach.
- The erosion moved nearly 200 feet toward the White River in a single night, according to Carmel city engineer Brad Pease.
The latest: As of Tuesday morning, crews had temporarily stabilized riverbanks to redirect fast-moving water and slow channel cutting.
- On Monday night, Pease put the odds of the channels connecting at roughly 75%, down slightly from an earlier estimate.
- If they connect, the White River could temporarily divert into the quarry, which can hold about 9 billion gallons of water that “otherwise would have been going down the White River into Indianapolis and causing additional flooding,” Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam said.
- Due to the dangerous conditions, Hamilton County issued an emergency declaration prohibiting all recreational travel on the White River.
What they’re saying: “Obviously, what we're hoping for is the erosion slows … that channel doesn't dig into the side of the river, we don't have these changes in flow and we don't have a damaged pipe,” Finkam said. “That's the best scenario, so that's what you need to be praying for tonight.”
Meanwhile, the damaged Hazel Dell Parkway bridge has been deemed a total loss and will need to be replaced, according to Hamilton County Commissioner Christine Altman.
- Officials are exploring an accelerated design-build approach to get traffic restored faster.
Zoom in: The discharge of raw sewage is also a concern. Two wastewater force mains sit 8-10 feet beneath the former creek bed and carry sewage from about 90% of Carmel's service area.
- If the shifting channel exposes them, failure is highly likely, officials say. Crews are working with contractors on a bypass, but the solution could take several days.
Yes, but: Drinking water remains safe, with no boil order in effect.
- To protect long-term service, crews are reinforcing a vulnerable 30-inch utility line and nearby force mains while constructing secondary bypass infrastructure as a precaution.
State of play: Carmel City Council member Adam Aasen tells Axios the flooding has underscored the importance of staying connected — and staying out of harm's way — as conditions rapidly change.
- “Uncertainty can be really scary. That feeling of ‘What do I do now?’” Aasen says. “And sometimes you just want someone to talk to, and to know that someone actually cares.”
- Along with urging residents to stay engaged with city channels for the latest on what remains a fluid public safety situation, he is reminding residents to take the barriers around damaged infrastructure seriously.
- “I know everybody wants to get a picture, but get them from the city. We'll send you some photos,” he says.
What's next: Figuring out how much all of this damage is going to cost.
- Finkam said an overall financial impact estimate remains unavailable because of the uncertainties.
- “I would say it probably starts with a B, though,” she said.