Flagstaff and Coconino County officials met with residents from the Pipeline West burn area Thursday night at City Hall. Over 60 people attended the meeting to hear the latest news on flood mitigation, how flooding is happening and what is being done in regards to short and long-term mitigation. The area has seen five flooding events, four of which led to substantial flooding in Coconino Estates and the surrounding neighborhoods. Officials told the crowd about three large detention basins that will be built upstream from the neighborhoods near the “Schultz Y” intersection off Schultz Pass Road. Construction on the big piece of flood mitigation will begin soon. The ponds are expected to catch water, sediment and debris in the 20 acre ponds. City of Flagstaff Public Works Director Scott Overton told KAFF News after the meeting that when it comes to the culvert that is causing the flooding problem in the neighborhoods in Pipeline West, he says “we are in the middle of Monsoon season and there is no project that we can deliver now that will make that stormwater system reactive to a post-wildfire burn scar with a compromised watershed.” Overton says they are thankful for residents in the neighborhoods, taking it upon themselves to do some engineering and trying to steer water away from homes to areas where it can drain faster. The Monsoon Season runs until September 30th and it’s likely flood waters will be a factor the rest of the way.
To hear Dave’s interview with Scott Overton in its entirety, click here:
