Representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met with Navajo County and city officials on Oct. 27 in order to discuss the ongoing efforts to recertify the Winslow Levee. The gathering had originally been planned to take place at the Winslow Levee with Col. Michael Wehr, District Commander South Pacific, and Col. Mark Toy, District Commander Los Angeles, landing by helicopter on the levee. However, due to inclement weather, the helicopter instead landed at the Holbrook Municipal Airport with the meeting taking place at a nearby Restaurant.
According to Navajo County Flood Control District Director Trent Larson, the meeting went very well, with the levee remaining a top priority for the corps, as well as the county.
“They presented us with an update on the hydrological study and the preliminary flood plain plans that will take place once the study is complete,” he stated, adding that the hydrological study, which measures levee failure modes, should be complete by spring of 2012. Once that aspect is complete, plan formulation will begin to look at solving and reducing potential flooding in Winslow.
The study was only one of two Arizona projects funded by the corps for fiscal year 2011, with the project receiving half a million dollars. The project received federal funding of $229,000 in 2009 and $224,000 in 2010. The total study cost is estimated at $5.7 million, and will be funded under a 50 percent federal and 50 percent Navajo County cost share agreement.
“This is the most funding received by the corps from the federal government for any single project and the county already has funding set aside in savings in order to complete it,” explained Larson.
For fiscal year 2012, the corps is looking for congressional discretionary funds in order to continue funding of the feasibility study.
The levee stretches approximately 7.2 miles along the outskirts of the city, and protects approximately two-thirds of the community from potential flooding. In 2008 the Federal Emergency Management Agency decertified the levee, adding 2,700 parcels to the flood plain, including 1,500 structures. With the decertification of the levee, nearly two-thirds of the residents, many on a limited income, now have to purchase flood insurance.
