Leaders from the City of Winslow and the Army Corps of Engineers joined the Navajo County Board of Supervisors in a special meeting held in Winslow to approve and celebrate the approval of the Pre-Construction, Engineering, and Design Agreement for the Winslow Levy. The approval of this agreement will begin work on the largest public works project in northeastern Arizona that will help protect thousands of Winslow residents, protect infrastructure, and allow for new industry and construction in the area. This is a monumental endeavor that is the result of years of work and made possible by leveraging federal, state, and local matching funds.
“We are deeply grateful for the contributions of so many community, regional, and federal partners, past and present,” said Board Chairman Alberto Peshlakai. “Winslow Mayor Roberta Cano, the Winslow City Council, Col. Julie Balten and the Army Corps of Engineers, the Navajo County Board of Supervisors, former Navajo County Supervisor Jesse Thompson, and the diligent efforts of staff have succeeded in making this a reality for the residents of Winslow.”
The meeting also celebrated the retirement of Col. Julie Balten, Commander of the Los Angeles District, Army Corps of Engineers, who championed the reconstruction of the levy and making sure the project has stayed at the top of the Army Corps’ priority list. In addition to helping to protect local residents, reconstruction of the levy will protect vital transportation infrastructure such as the Interstate 40 and BNSF’s rail line, which carries $4 million of freight every hour.
Winslow Mayor Roberta Cano said “This day marks a momentous occasion that will positively impact our community for current and future generations. I am overwhelmed and proud to have been part of this tremendous collaboration of organizations from the federal to local levels of government. The City of Winslow sincerely thanks all of our partners in this venture and I know our community will thrive because of this commitment to the recertification of our levee.”
Winslow’s levee has long been a burden and concern for residents, landowners and business owners. When the levee was decertified in 2008 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it placed nearly two-thirds of Winslow residents, most of which live below the federal poverty line, into the position of needing to carry flood insurance. The area impacted by the levee includes 1,600 structures, including almost the entirety of Winslow’s critical public facilities (hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and utilities), which are located in a 100-year floodplain. The damages caused by the levee has cost the city millions of dollars. The outcome of last week’s meeting culminates years of effort on behalf of the City of Winslow, Navajo County and the Army Corps of Engineers.
