Flood Committee aims to control flooding

The North Alamogordo Flood Control Committee (NAFCC) has recently been in talks with County and City officials as well as the Army Corps of Engineers to finally get started on a project to control flooding on the north side of Alamogordo.

Studies of the area have been on the shelf for years since the 1960s and the NAFCC says it’s time to do something about it.

Recently, a proposed project by the Corps of Engineers, was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1962. Under the Energy and Water Appropriation Act of 2004, Congress modified the authorization to construct a flood detention basin, along with detention ponds, instead of a channel to protect the north side of Alamogordo.

The flood detention basin will be constructed to provide protection from a 100 year flood event. The project cost share for the flood detention basin shall remain consistent with the existing cost share of the Corps of Engineers providing 75 percent and the City of Alamogordo to pick up the rest of the 25 percent.

NAFCC Secretary Bob Jensen said the Corps of Engineers have had more information on their desks since 1999 and they’re encouraging them along with state and local officials to get started on the project to fix the long time issue.

“The Army Corps of Engineers have had since earlier than 1999 information on their desk for doing something up here in the north, and that all stems from the big ditch that was voted down years ago,” Jensen said. “They started in the south and that was the south channel coming up out of Marble Canyon. The second half of their project is the McKinley Channel. The City would like to finish that first which is scheduled for 2017 at the latest. They’re just now starting it, they’re probably pretty close to the high school right now.”

The final phases of the McKinley Channel will construct the remainder of the channel from First Street upstream to the McKinley Detention Basin, pending funding approval. The Corps of Engineers is updating the cost benefit analysis of the McKinley Channel in order to meet their economic requirements for future funding.

Jensen said the detention basin is what is on the drawing board at the moment and that is the plan to fix the problem.

“We’re asking them to get started on it now. They City has allocated some money, it’s just sitting there in a pot. The land for the dam has to be bought from the City. That’s what we’re trying to do to take care of this part of the City because when flooding happens it affects everybody,” he said. “It has gotten to the point now that further down the road in the electrical yard where all the transformers and hard wires are at, it’s starting to flood that area.”

The latest NAFCC meeting included county and city officials as well as one of Congressman Steve Pearce’s representatives to discuss what they have to do to get started on the project and where to get funding.

Jensen said they hope to have all their paperwork done before the McKinley Channel is completed sometime in 2017.

“We want to have all the paperwork done by the time McKinley Channel is done. The last meeting we had, we had a representative from Congressman Steve Pearce’s Office and he said he would work with the Corps of Engineers to help secure funding,” he said. “George Straface, the interim city manager was there and he assured the audience that the McKinley Channel was paid up except the last section. He assured everyone that the City has the money to continue the project past the school and the park and beyond.”

Jensen said the City currently has about $100,000 put aside but they will of course need to get more funds as the project could cost up to $10 million.

Jensen said in the meantime the City wants the committee to continue gathering information from the community so they can submit their research to the Army Corps of Engineers.

“The City wants us to wait until McKinley is done, we asked them what we can do now and they said to keep informing the public, get letters of how the water is affecting people and their property, get photos and so that’s what we’re trying to do,” he said. “All that is going to go through Nancy Beshaler (City Project Manager) and the Pamela Heltner (County Manager) and they’re going to keep it for information. Nancy is going to review it and send it to the engineers.”

Even though the City is picking up the tab for the project, the County is also assisting the committee with anything they might need.

“Keith Clements (NAFCC chairperson) had talked with County Commissioner Ronny Rardin and Ronny said to do a committee, we’re able to use the County building for our meetings,” Jensen said. “We’re going to have another big meeting in March and if things start moving after that it will really help the community.”

The next NAFCC meeting will be held March 9 at the Willie Estrada Civic Center, 800 E First St., however, the location may possibly change. The meeting will be open to the public and the NAFCC encourages the community to come out and give their testimonials as local officials and possibly state officials will be present.