CHICORA — It’s going to take a team effort between the Karns City School District and Chicora borough to alleviate ongoing floodwater runoff problems plaguing residents near Chicora Elementary School.

School board members discussed the problem at their monthly meeting Monday night.

At least a half dozen residents who live near Chicora Elementary have experienced severe flooding three times this summer following heavy rains. Some complained of basement flooding that reached the rafters.

District engineers have studied the issue for a few weeks and discussed potential solutions with board members, which could cost from $50,000 to $150,000 for the school district alone.

“What we’re looking at is how to prevent a future problem,” said Superintendent Eric Ritzert. “If money were no object, what could we do?”

So far, the district has not allotted any money for such a project since plans are still being developed.

A dam on school property was deemed too much of a liability by school board members, but adding a retention pond on school property could be a viable option.

Some residents have blamed a ravine by the elementary school for flooding woes, but the issue is believed to be more complicated. Increases in stormwater, aging infrastructure, and small growth in the area over a long period of time have all contributed to the flooding, said Kevin Clark, a senior project engineer with Sci-Tek Consultants.

“I think you’re facing a cumulative impact over 50, 60, 70 years. It’s nothing unusual,” he said. “I think the solution is several small projects working together.”

Nearby housing developments and the school were built before state post construction storm management requirements were enforced, likely exacerbating the problem.

Chicora Mayor Lisa Nagy, who attended the board meeting, said the borough is considering a four-phase, $50,000 project to help alleviate runoff issues. The first phase would involve adding more drainage pipes down hill and near roads that have experienced flooding.

“Right now it’s a more urgent, immediate issue for those residents,” Nagy said. “They are quite sensitized to the drainage, or lack thereof.”

The borough had hoped to receive more recommendations from the state Department of Environmental Protection, and possibly have opportunities to receive grant money, but the DEP said the floodwater issue is not in its jurisdiction.

“Unfortunately, there is little the department can do,” said Gary Clark, a DEP spokesman. “With a rain event like this ... even with (post construction storm management) controls in place, they may have still been flooded.”

One of the heavy August rains yielded 3 inches of water in over an hour.

The school district has planned additional meetings with the borough this month on how to work together to solve the floodwater problem. Ritzert said he hopes to have final plans in place by spring.