Little River Drainage Improvements and Redevelopment

The portion of Little River west of I-35 between Southwest 19th Street and Southwest 4th Street resided in the floodplain, the stream had severely eroded banks, and multiple sanitary sewer lines had aerial crossings or were exposed due to erosion. In 2013, this area found itself in the path of an F5 tornado that ravaged the City of Moore.

The City partnered with Meshek to design channel, utility, roadway, and pedestrian trail improvements, as well as a detention pond to help protect nearby neighborhoods from flooding. Through innovative design, the detention pond and more than a mile of the Little River channel was designed and approved for construction under a Nationwide 404 Permit, saving the City a considerable amount of time, energy, and money. Additionally, the Meshek team helped the City prepare nearby land for a multi-use redevelopment, The Curve, which will replace a former trailer park that was demolished by the 2013 tornado.

The goal of the project was to carefully blend functionality and aesthetics, while simultaneously creating a statement of pride and resiliency in the wake of devastation.

This was achieved with the design of a large detention area that complements the scenic nature of its surroundings, the widening of the Little River channel with decorative block walls, and the addition of concrete walking trails, pedestrian bridges, and state-of-the-art splash pad and playground areas. All of the design, down to exterior finishes, coordinate throughout the mile-long channel, redevelopment area, and detention pond to create a cohesive park atmosphere.

The project was funded through a HUD Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) after the Moore tornado of 2013 and is part of the City’s multi-phased Little River Park Plan.