The Coconino County Flood Management District has provided another important element of post-wildfire flood mitigation to the Spruce Avenue Wash Flood Corridor/Museum Flood Area in Flagstaff.
…The second and final phase of the Parkway Sediment Basin project has been completed.
The Parkway Sediment Basin Project is one of a series of post-wildfire flood mitigation projects underway in the Spruce Avenue Wash area, which was significantly impacted by flooding from the Museum fire scar in 2021. Phase I was completed in June 2023, and with Phase 2 completed, the project now includes three settling ponds with a total capacity of 9 acre-feet, which is equivalent to four and a half Olympic swimming pools. It's almost the same.
“We know that sediment loads are a significant contributor to infrastructure destruction and flooding within flood corridors following wildfires,” said Lucinda Andreani, Coconino County Flood Control District Administrator. “These basins, along with the watershed restoration we have done upstream, are key to minimizing the amount of flood sediment and debris flowing downstream. It’s important for large-scale infrastructure investments.”
The Parkway Sediment Basin was built on land owned by the City of Flagstaff. These were designed by Natural Channel Design Engineering and include three sediment basins, erosion control structures, and the reconstruction of trails that previously occupied this area. The project was funded through grants from the District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and had a total cost of more than $1.4 million.two Another contractor, Tiffany Construction and Kinney Construction Services (KCS), participated in the construction work, which was difficult due to its location within a densely populated residential area.
“KCS has coordinated with teams from Natural Channel Design and the City of Flagstaff on pre-determined transportation routes to alleviate congestion near the park site,” said KCS spokesperson Will O’Dell. Ta. “In this busy corridor along Linda Vista, safety and public awareness were key factors to the success of the project.”
A flood mitigation project is underway in the City of Flagstaff in the Spruce Avenue Wash flood corridor. For more information, please visit: www.museumfloodprojects.com.
