The Winslow City Council met in a special session on Tuesday before its regular meeting to hear an update from Navajo County officials regarding the Winslow levee and other issues.
Navajo County Supervisor Jesse Thompson, Assistant County Manager Homero Vela and Brian Kenny of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers all spoke, noting the history of the Winslow Little Colorado River and Ruby Wash levees, actions taken and proposed to improve them and get them recertified, and the huge impact of flood insurance upon Winslow and its residents.
The Little Colorado River Levee was decertified in 2003 and is the subject of a feasibility study expected to be completed in 2015. After that is completed, there must be plans for construction to recertify and levee, which is dependent upon federal appropriations of the funds necessary for that task.
Congress has already authorized additional raises in flood insurance in the future and the visiting officials indicated that those rates would continue to increase, making the recertification of the levees crucial for Winslow and its citizens.
