A clean-up project for the Tippecanoe River was discussed at the last meeting of the year for county commissioners this morning.

Three men associated with the project came before the commissioners asking for support and assistance with the clean-up efforts.

Dr. Nate Bosch, Jon Tyler and emergency management director Ed Rock said flooding is being caused by log jams and debris in the river that disrupts the flow of the water. He said there have been an increase in floods locally and flooding incidents.

“We need to clean it up and increase the rate of (water) flow,” said Tyler. “The river is our flood drain for the county.”

Tyler added 17 townships are in the county and affected by flooding. “We need a pro-active solution,” he said, noting there have been numerous high flood levels in the county in the last few years.

Dr. Bosch, director of Kosciusko Lakes and Streams program at Grace College, said he has a solution. He said 30 miles of the river will need to be cleaned up, starting at the county line of Kosciusko and Marshall counties, south of Etna Green. The clean up will then work its way upstream to the Oswego dam.

The project will entail removing log jams and debris. Dr. Bosch said he has been working with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Indiana Department of Environmental Management about rules and permits.

“We can avoid permits if we use hand tools. If we use equipment we will need a permit,” Dr. Bosch explained. He noted that a bridge is needed to obtain water levels, too.

A proposal was made to obtain bids for the cost of the project. Rock said he will not have an estimate on the cost of the project until he gets the bids. Funding may come from a number of resources, including grants.

“It’s a big project but we need to get started,” said commissioner Ron Truex. Commissioner Bob Conley agreed and stated, “It’s a problem for both homeowners and insurance companies.”

Bosch added, “We just want to get the river back to its natural state.”

Commissioners are president Bob Conley, Brad Jackson and Ron Truex. The next meeting will be at 9 a.m. Jan. 2, 2013, at the county courthouse in Warsaw.