Colfax north flat project passes heavy water test

The April 9 heavy rainfall turned out to be a test for the new street drain system which was installed last summer on Cedar Street. Public Works Director Matt Hammer said the new surface drain system worked well to get the surface runoff water from the streets into the North Fork of the Palouse River.

During the heavy runoff, the 9th Street drain into the North Fork of the Palouse River had to be shut because river water flow reached a height where the river threatened to back flow into the North Flat.

Hammer said the city had one pump working to move water from the streets over the dike and i...