Paradise Valley begins to forge plans to cure problematic municipal flooding
By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press
The topography of central Phoenix has sprouts of mountainous regions like the Phoenix Mountain Preserve including the beloved peaks of Camelback and Mummy mountains showcasing a visual hallmark of the metropolis found in the Valley of the Sun.
No community has captured and capitalized on this elegance better than the Town of Paradise Valley.
But when the seasonal rains of monsoon season come a mild rain can create devastating flood situations in certain pockets of the community.
Paradise Valley Town Council — through the expertise of its preferred engineering consultant Kimley-Horn — hosted a public hearing Thursday, Nov. 14 on the formation of a new stormwater master plan to serve as a guide for future capital improvement projects to cure problematic flooding within municipal limits.
“How much of this is new information?” asked Paradise Valley Councilwoman Anna Thomasson at the onset of the flooding map models presented at Town Hall during the afternoon hours of Thursday, Nov. 14.
“I appreciate the level of detail but what have we learned that we don’t already knew before?”
Geoffery Brownell, an engineer at Kimley-Horn, provided the report to Town Council.
“The new part of this is flood control,” he said at the Nov. 14 public hearing. “While there was already modeling large parts of the town, now we are blending everything together, which will be of great benefit to the town.”
Read the report for yourself, HERE.
Paradise Valley begins to forge plans to cure problematic municipal flooding
The scope of the work commissioned by Town Council is the combining of modeling efforts from the most recent Flood Control District of Maricopa County area drainage master studies and plans with Town of Paradise Valley data to identify priority projects for high hazard areas.
In all, modeling suggests, the Town of Paradise Valley has 16 areas featuring moderate to severe flooding meanwhile nine areas identify as potential to have severe impact in the event of a significant rainfall event.
“This is the plan moving forward — to really address and focus on those nine areas,” Mr. Brownell said. “It was purely based off modeling results.”
Turns out between 2013 and 2014, the Town of Paradise Valley experienced significant flooding events and property damage during these events whereas town leaders then hosted a community conversation in February 2015 to alert residents to solutions afoot.
“This is one of those things that are really impacting our northern residents,” Councilwoman Julie Pace noted regarding homes in the northern region of the municipality oftentimes found on hillside configurations. “I like the tie-in with public works — we got very intimidated by our studies. This is better, much more manageable in terms of costs for a town our size without a property tax.”
Paradise Valley Councilman Scott Moore points out the most recent major flooding event exceed 100-year level estimations wreacking havoc on local thoroughfare in particular.
“Just a few years ago, when we have that over 100-year event, you’re saying in certain areas this won’t exceed 3 feet?” Councilman Moore asked. “What is the life of this study? I don’t see any solutions in this.”
Shar Johnson, Paradise Valley town engineer, explains this report is leading up to an eventual capital improvement plan focused on floodwater management. A plan likely to unfold over several years and budget cycles.
“This is all leading up to prioritizing the projects we have identified,” she said.
Cost of the project, Ms. Johnson explains is $632,000, but the town and Flood Control District are splitting costs wheres the Town of Paradise Valley is responsible for $313,000 meanwhile the Flood Control District is responsible for the other $313,000.
Paradise Valley Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner says he found the Kimley-Horn report helpful.
“We have no interest in taking private property — that will never work here, at least not with this council,” he said. “I have seen work from Kimley-Horn in other municipalities and they are happy with the creation of a flood basin created on private property through an easement. I would like to see a full listing of all projects so we can spend some time prioritizing those projects.”
Mr. Brownell explained to Town Council bringing a full list of potential projects is the exact intent.
“We know that these projects are going to be limited to the right of way,” he said.
