More than two years after the devastating wildfires that burned much of the eastern flank of the San Francisco Mountains, officials are nearing completion of a major flood prevention project that will ultimately cost more than $100 million. It was announced that.
When the Pipeline Fire broke out across the Peaks in the summer of 2022, it burned 27,000 acres that had already burned in the Schulz Fire just over a dozen years earlier. Then, during the rough monsoon season, nearly 50 floods occurred, damaging homes and destroying roads, putting about 1,500 homes and more than $1 billion worth of ranch property under perennial threat.
Chris Dusza is with CivilTec Engineering. The company has entered into a deal with Coconino County to establish a way to safely return these ranches to the country where they can be used. In this case, the company created a pipe manufacturing business that turns tightly wound metal loops into giant pipes 10 feet in diameter.
“If you were to truck this from the Valley, El Mirage or Albuquerque, you would need two pipes per flatbed, 4,000 to 4,500 linear feet of pipe. “It's the equivalent of 1,000 pounds, so you can save a lot of money.'' his voice echoed through the giant metal tube.
The pipeline fire has ruined nine watersheds, huge natural fans of soil, rock and vegetation that form on mountain slopes and slow the flow of water. These pipes are used as underground stormwater conduits.
Man-made rock sills have to be driven into the ground where the fans once stood, allowing monsoon water to flow into giant channels and eventually piped out of the area into natural waterways like the Rio de Flag. drawn out.
That's right, lots of pipes. And rock. And funding.
The Coconino County Flood Control District is spending about $8 million in local money. The Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service are providing an additional $124 million in grants for these restorations.
“If you look at all the resources that we work with, you look at plants, soil, water, animals, the human part is the most important aspect. So how do we do this? “It's possible to not only minimally impact all of this, but also populate the landscape, and a lot of that is through proper planning,” said Terry Cosby, director of NRCS. said.
Former Arizona Congressman Tom O'Halleran currently serves as a member of the NRCS.
“Why couldn't we do that? People's homes were burned down. Children were in danger. Our infrastructure was burned down,” he said. “This is an investment in the future. We can't just think, 'We'll do it if we have to.' Just like running a business, we have to say where we want to be in the future.” No need.”
When a fire breaks out in the ponderosas of the Coconino National Forest, it can quickly turn into an explosive. The Tunnel Fire in early 2022 struck 32 homes with winds of 80 mph. The pipeline fire two months later was caused by campers burning used toilet paper in the woods during a fire ban. So the possibility feels more like an inevitability.
Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett said, “The plan is to have a variety of mitigation measures in place, not just in the upper reaches of town, but in areas closer to town as well, to withstand further flooding following the wildfires.'' “We are taking the necessary treatment and mitigation measures.” . “So we surveyed all watersheds and made sure we had mitigation measures in place to prevent flooding.”
County Supervisor Patrice Horstman welcomed the work being done, but cautioned that ultimately the forest will need to be restored.
“That's going to be the key to getting us out of this catastrophic wildfire and post-wildfire flooding scenario,” she says.
She calls the project the government at its best, with huge pipes, sills and millions of dollars to hold back the mountains.
“This is what the government should be doing. It should be for the people. It should help protect and address some of the safety concerns that we have,” she said.