Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Stay out of floodwaters or risk life, big fine

Flooding

Steve Marcus

Vehicles turn around as storm runoff floods Grand Teton Drive near Grand Canyon Drive on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013.

With monsoon season starting next week, local leaders have a simple message for residents: If you see floodwaters, stay away.

“Each one of us and you, too, need to think and act responsibly,” Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said. “It’s up to each one of us that we spread the word. Stay away from floodwaters, don’t go around barricades and be mindful of flash floods.”

The message was echoed by others, including Clark County Regional Flood Control District General Manager Steve Parrish, Clark County Commissioner Larry Brown and state Sen. David Parks, who gathered at the Kyle Canyon Detention Basin in the northwest valley.

The mile-long basin sits at the head of the valley’s flood control system, gathering water rushing off of nearby mountains and slowing its flow by as much as 97 percent before feeding it into 90 basins and 596 miles of channels that lead to Lake Mead.

The Kyle Canyon Detention Basin is also near the site of severe flooding in 2013. A gap in the flood control system led to water pouring onto Grand Teton Drive, posing a serious hazard to motorists.

The heavy flooding led the Flood Control District to fast-track a $6.2 million project to install concrete box culverts to keep water from flowing onto the street. The project was completed last summer.

In total, the district spent $130.7 million on construction of 15 projects from July 2014 to June, with another 14 projects costing $129.7 million under construction or soon to begin.

While there’s no indication this monsoon season will be much different than previous years, there is one change drivers will have to keep in mind.

Under a law effective July 1, any driver who goes around a barricade and through floodwaters will be liable for the costs — capped at $2,000 — if they need to be rescued.

“If the danger of getting swept away and the possibility of being killed by floodwaters doesn’t resonate, maybe the expense of having to pay for your rescue will,” Parks said.

There are an increasing number of tools — including social media and smartphone apps — to help people get up-to-date information on flooding and avoid dangerous areas, said Todd Lericos, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service office in Las Vegas.

One of the most useful is a new alert system built into the latest smartphones that sends users direct messages when a flash flood warning is issued near them.

“If you’re getting this on your phone, you’re in the area where the flash flood is occurring. It might not be right under your feet, but you’re near it,” Lericos said. “We encourage everybody to heed those warnings when they come through on your phone and be careful when you drive home.”

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