Tag: Flooding

Coconino County Board of Supervisors Issues Emergency Resolution Regarding Tusayan Flooding

COCONINO COUNTY — Chairman Jeronimo Vasquez has authorized an official emergency resolution regarding the flooding in the community of Tusayan that occurred on Tuesday of this week.

In adopting this resolution, the Board is authorizing County Emergency Management and the Sheriff’s Office to issue further shelter in place or evacuation orders should another significant rainfall event affect this community. It also assists with requests for State and Federal assistance to aid in the clean up and repairs to public infrastructure.

Tuesday’s storm produced an estimated three inches of rainfall in less than one hour, concentrated over a wash east of Tusayan. The wash was soon overwhelmed, flooding the Grand Canyon gateway community with up to three feet of water by 5 p.m. that evening. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management, and Flood Control District staff arrived soon after to assess the situation and assist the Town of Tusayan in setting up a local incident command center. A temporary order to boil tap water for drinking has been lifted after testing confirmed no bacterial contamination present. 

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-Up Week of August 21, 2023

On Tuesday, August 22, emergency personnel from Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Tusayan Fire Department, and Grand Canyon National Park responded to the town of Tusayan for a report of flooding due to heavy rainfall in the area.

Water levels up to three feet deep prompted officials to close a section of Highway 64 for safety.  Over 100 residents and visitors in Tusayan were relocated, and about 70 students from the Grand Canyon Unified School District sheltered in place until it was safe for them to return home.  No injuries were reported and crews will continue working to clean up the aftermath.

Flooding Impacts Communities of Tusayan and Grand Canyon Village

TUSAYAN — A significant rainfall event has impacted the Coconino Wash east of the Town of Tusayan, just south of the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.

Due to a reported two to three inches of rainfall in a short amount of time this afternoon, water up to three feet in depth has reached State Route 64 and most of the gateway community. 

Heavy rains, flash flooding expected in Northern Arizona starting Sunday, July 30

By Coconino County

Check for a monsoon update from the US National Weather Service Flagstaff Arizona.

It looks like we may be in store for some rain soon! Visit Http://www.ready.gov/plan to learn how to make a plan in case of flooding or other emergency events. Sign up for emergency notifications from Coconino County at http://www.coconino.az.gov/ready.

Schultz Creek culvert blocked – potential for flooding

The City has recently learned that the Schultz Creek culvert that runs underneath Highway 180 is damaged and partially blocked. The impact of this blockage is unknown but could lead to higher levels of runoff entering downstream neighborhoods. This culvert is owned by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). The City has been in contact with ADOT to make them aware of the blockage and ADOT is formulating a plan to address the issue. Predicted warm temperatures in the coming days will create the potential for rapid snowmelt in the Rio de Flag watershed draining from the San Francisco Peaks, raising the risk of flooding in the Coconino Estates neighborhood. Please note that the Schultz Creek Detention Basins are functioning as designed.

Aug. 31 — City to host Spruce Wash/ Museum Flood Area Community Meeting

FLAGSTAFF — City of Flagstaff invites residents impacted by post-wildfire flooding in the Spruce Wash/ Museum Flood Area to a community meeting on Thursday, Aug. 31 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at Flagstaff City Hall (211 W Aspen Ave). During the meeting, City staff will discuss the Grandview Drive Reconstruction Project scheduled to start in the fall, as well as review 30% design plans for the Spruce Wash Improvements flood migration projects funded by Prop 441.

Board of Supervisors Approves Transfer of Emergency Funds to Flood Control District

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the immediate transfer of $5 million from the General Fund’s emergency reserve to the County’s Flood Control District to address the ongoing costs of flood response and mitigation.

In a special session on Tuesday, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the immediate transfer of $5 million from the General Fund’s emergency reserve to the County’s Flood Control District to address the ongoing costs of flood response and mitigation in the Schultz-Pipeline and West Pipeline flood areas.

Self-fill sandbag stations available in west Flagstaff for residents impacted by Pipeline Fire  

The City of Flagstaff has established two self-filling sandbag stations for those impacted by the Pipeline Fire who live on the west side of Flagstaff. The first station is in Thorpe Park, at the parking lot at the north end of N. Aztec St. between Frances Short Pond and the softball fields. The second station is located at the intersection of Schultz Pass Rd and E Mt Elden Lookout Rd. (commonly called the Schultz “Y”). Maps of these locations are attached.  

BAER team completes Soil Burn Severity map for Pipeline Fire

Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) specialists recently completed their field data evaluation to produce the Soil Burn Severity (SBS) map for the Pipeline Fire, which delineate unburned, low, moderate, and high SBS categories.

The BAER team assessing the Pipeline Fire determined that approximately 1,310 acres (1%) of the fire is unburned, approximately 15,004 acres (56%) have low soil burn severity, approximately 9,141 acres (34%) sustained a moderate SBS and approximately 1,315 acres (5%) were identified as having high SBS.

Flagstaff hosts community volunteer day on June 18 in areas impacted by Museum Fire flooding

The City of Flagstaff is hosting a community volunteer day in areas downstream of the Museum Fire burn scar on Saturday, June 18. Volunteers will be assisting residents who are elderly or have a disability repair their emergency sandbag mitigation. To request volunteer assistance, please call 928-213-2102 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Resources are limited, and crews will address as many properties as time and resources allow.

Residents in Schultz Creek Watershed and the Rio de Flag floodplain are encouraged to immediately purchase and maintain flood insurance

Preliminary flood hazard modeling of areas impacted by the Pipeline Fire indicates an increased risk of flooding for some neighborhoods within Flagstaff City limits. Specifically, residents whose homes are in the neighborhoods of Creighton Estates, Forest Hills, Cheshire, Coyote Springs, Anasazi Ridge, Coconino Estates, Ridge Crest, North End, Downtown Flagstaff or Southside and whose homes are located within a FEMA Zone A, AE, AH, or shaded X should immediately purchase or maintain flood insurance. Homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage and coverage must be purchased separately.

A map of Flagstaff neighborhoods is available at https://bit.ly/3xWzDSF. A map of FEMA floodplain designations by address is available at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home.

United Way of Northern Arizona — Please Join Us: Sandbag Filling Shifts Now Through Friday

The weather outside is frightful – or at least the predictions for rain are. While today should be mostly sunny, it looks like the monsoons will be returning later this week and sticking around throughout the weekend.

That’s why we are working with the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County to arrange multiple volunteer opportunities to help fill sandbags this week. Each day there are two shifts – from 8 am to Noon and then from 1 to 5 pm. Please note, however, that you don’t have to work all four hours of a shift; any amount of time you can help will be appreciated.

One Fatality and Multiple Injured after Flash Flood in Grand Canyon National Park

On July 14 at approximately 6:00 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report of two individuals missing and multiple parties injured after flash flood activity impacted Tatahatso Camp near River Mile 38 on the Colorado River. Grand Canyon Search and Rescue sent two paramedics to the scene to assess and treat patients. Active monsoonal weather in the area limited access to the scene for overnight search and rescue operations. 

At approximately 2:30 a.m., one patient who was in critical condition was flown out via Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter from the area. Four additional patients were evacuated by air on July 15 to the Flagstaff Medical Center; they are in stable condition at this time.

Museum Fire neighborhood alert messages

FLAGSTAFF — Due to the Museum Fire, Coconino County and the City of Flagstaff are preparing the public for a possible flood event in Flagstaff neighborhoods. During this Monsoon season, Coconino County will issue emergency notifications when the U.S. National…