Carmel completes emergency dam construction following White River flooding

Emergency crews and multi-agency partners have completed critical infrastructure stabilization in Carmel, Indiana, following historic flooding of the White River. The flooding impacted approximately 250 homes, with more than 40 residents displaced due to power outages.

To protect utility pipes near 106th Street and Hazel Dell Parkway, engineers constructed two temporary dams. One dam, consisting of concrete and aggregate requiring over 400 truckloads of material, reduced waterflow into the Martin Marietta quarry by more than 90 percent. A secondary barrier was created using 73 sandbags, each weighing 2,000 pounds, which were deployed by Indiana National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crews.

While the emergency stabilization work is finished, city officials warn that the White River remains unsafe for swimming or boating until further notice.