City of Flagstaff issued the following announcement on July 17.
The following email was sent to Museum Flood Area residents:
Below is a summary of activities by the Coconino County Flood Control District and City of Flagstaff related to the Museum Flood Area.
- Storm Activity: Today’s storm activity was very limited on the Museum Fire burn scar. The weather pattern had storm activity moving westerly and to the south. However, the National Weather Service continues to see monsoonal activity in the forecast.
- Sandbag Distribution Sites: Residents are reminded NOT to remove sandbags from existing flood mitigation efforts. Removing sandbags from barriers and the other mitigation measures places your home and others in greater risk for flooding.
The County had a stockpile of 75,000 sandbags on Monday prior to any flood events. With the three Museum Flood events and the East Flagstaff flood event, the stockpile of sandbags is gone, and we are now making sandbags as rapidly as possible. We want to thank the NAU Sports Teams and other volunteers who made sandbags today, which totaled about 2,600. The Coconino County Jail Sandbag Crew made 650 sandbags today as well. We are bringing in additional resources to assist with sandbag production over the next week.
For residents who need sandbags, there are two self-fill sandbag stations available and are listed below.
Pre-filled sandbags may be available; however, residents should be prepared to fill their own sandbags. A properly built and maintained sandbag wall can prevent or reduce flood damage to your home. Residents who are elderly or have disabilities that prevent them from repairing their sandbag walls adjacent to their homes can call 928-679-8525 for assistance.
- Coconino High School: South parking lot of Coconino High School located at 2801 N Izabel near the Hal Jensen Recreation Center.
- Coconino County Health and Human Services: County HHS Building, 2625 King Street.
- Very Successful Debris Cleanup Volunteer Event Today: 290 people volunteered for the five-hour Museum Flood Area volunteer event organized by United Way of Northern Arizona. Volunteers focused efforts on placing sandbags and debris removal on First, Main, Rose, Grandview, Linda Vista, and Paradise. The NAU sports teams and other volunteers produced sandbags today as well at County Public Works.
- Volunteers Needed: Please ask your friends, family and co-workers outside of the flood area to assist by volunteering. We need more volunteers to make sandbags, place sandbags at residences, and to assist with clean up. Please sign up at uwna.volunteerhub.com or call 928-773-9813.
- Congressman Tom O’Halleran and a representative from Senator Kelly’s office met with Coconino County Supervisors Patrice Horstman and Jeronimo Vasquez, and Flagstaff Mayor Paul Deasy toured flood-impacted areas throughout Flagstaff and Mt. Elden Estates. The tour was conducted by the Museum Flood Incident Commanders, Lucinda Andreani, Coconino County Deputy County Manager, and Andy Bertelsen, City of Flagstaff Public Works Director.
- APS: Monsoon storms can bring down overhead power lines and flooding can expose underground electrical wire. If you see downed lines or exposed underground wire, stay far away from the area, call 911 and then call Arizona Public Service (APS) at (602) 258-5483. For additional safety tips, visit https://www.aps.com/outagecenter. If you see other types of utilities exposed, then please call those utility companies as well or contact the Museum Flood Call Center at 928-679-8525.
- Drainage Infrastructure Update: The inlets at Linda Vista, Dortha, Arroyo Seco, Grandview, and Cedar as well as portions of the channel were clogged yesterday by the flood waters but were cleared today by the County’s contractor. City Stormwater and Public Works crews are continuing to clean the stormwater system.
The recent Mount Elden Estates flood mitigation project continues to function, saving several homes from flood damage. Short-term flood mitigation measures are currently being implemented to restore resident access to homes. A request to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is being developed to help address the financial burden of immediate and long-term flood mitigation measures. Severe channel erosion is taking place, which is placing residences at greater risk for destruction and delivering sediment into Flagstaff. Private roads continue to be seriously impacted by each flood event.
- Roads & Streets Infrastructure: City and County crews continued to clear City streets today and made good progress. Please continue to place mud and debris in the streets for removal by these crews. Crews are trucking significant amounts of forest debris, silt, rock, and trash from the roads. Street sweeping is a tremendous focus and will continue both night and day for the foreseeable future.
- Flood Impact Assessment Update: If your home has been impacted on the interior by flooding, then please report the impacts by calling the Museum Flood Area Call Center at 928-679-8525.
- Site Assessments: Please notify the Call Center if your sandbags are being overtopped and creating more impacts on your property, or if they are not adequately reducing impacts, and request a site assessment. We will work with you and your neighbors to address the increasing flood impacts. It is important that as you shore up your sandbags that you do not push flood water to your neighbors’ property. In 2019 the flood mitigation established and what we have asked for you to maintain is a flood mitigation system…we need to work in partnership to maintain and enhance this mitigation without creating impacts to others.
The below is important information for residents of the Museum Flood Area and those who experienced monsoonal flooding.
- SHELTER IN PLACE: During flood events, residents should shelter in place. Do not get close to the flood water – please remain in your home. Know where your children and pets are at all times. Never enter drainages.
- DEBRIS ON PROPERTY: If you have debris on your property, then you should move the debris to the street if you are able -- only when the water has stopped flowing. This will help County and City Public Works crews remove the debris with their heavy equipment. If you are elderly or disabled and need assistance with repairing sandbag walls or with debris removal, then please call the Call Center at 928-679-8525.
- PARKED CARS: If you live on one of the streets that has debris as a result of the flood, then please do not park your car on the streets. Parked cars on these streets prevent the sandbags from doing their job—protecting your property.
- MORE RAIN: Additional rain is expected on the Museum burn scar and in the City of Flagstaff. This means that people in the area need to be alert and be prepared to shelter in place. Charge your phones. Assemble a Stay Kit with the following:
- First aid kit
- Pet supplies
- Manual can opener
- Cell phone & charger
- Personal hygiene items
- Cash (e.g., small bills and coins)
- Flashlight(s) with extra batteries
- 72 hours’ worth of food and water
- Copy of Family Communication Plan
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Prescription medications and eyeglasses
- Important papers (e.g., insurance and financial)
Original source can be found here.
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