Sunday, September 12, 2010

Flagstaff flood damage $15M, not counting homes



The Arizona (Flagstaff) Daily Sun reports that "Flood costs to the county, state and city of Flagstaff for repairs to roads and waterlines as well as erosion control in the forest is $15.8 million and counting." That includes the part of the $3.7 million reported spent on dropping straw by helicopter on steep slopes where US Forest Service hydrologists said it would be ineffective and wash away. It was, it did, and then more was dropped, to assuage public pressures to do something.

The damage figure does not include damage to 38 homes there were flooded and hundreds of others that had damage to outbuildings, driveways, etc, in the Timberline and Doney Park areas. [right, Timberline area, my photo, August 25]

AZGS geologists will participate in meetings with hydrologists and other experts the week of Sept. 20 in making longer term plans to mitigate and prevent flooding in the next few years until the area burned out by this springs Schultz fire is revegetated and stabilized.

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