Chattanooga Public Works Administrator Lee Norris said Tuesday that the city cannot solve many reoccurring flooding problems.
"We are, unfortunately, in the bottom of a big bowl," he told members of the City Council.
Councilman Moses Freeman had asked about continuing flooding at such locations as E. 23rd Street, Main Street near Willow, Orchard Knob, Citico and other sites.
He said, "A lot of pollutants are ending up in people's yards. You can see homes rotting away and fences rusting."
He also raised the issue of flooding of the Howard High football stadium.
Mr. Norris said at one time there was a plan for a Chattanooga Creek levee that would have helped Howard and other properties, but he said it was never funded.
He said when the city hired consultants to "model" flooding problems on Briarwood Drive, it was found the problem area started "way up on Highway 58."
"It is all very complex and complicated," he said.
Mr. Norris said some homes were built in flood-prone areas, such as Prestwood Circle in East Brainerd, before those locations had been mapped as flood risks.
He said the city seeks to keep pipes and culverts clear in areas near the sections that flood, but cannot stop some flooding.
The council agreed to engage the services of eight different firms for on-call modeling and floodplain analysis services. The cost is estimated to be $650,000 total for a year.