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| House Bill Could Lead to Rain Drain |
July 16, 2005 |
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By Carolyn Carlson
Journal Staff Writer
High atop a hot, dusty, dirt dam on the Southwest mesa with not a cloud in sight, Rep. Heather Wilson on Friday announced that millions of dollars may be on the way to drain the rain from the valley.
The House passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2005 on Thursday. The Senate hasn`t acted on its version of the bill.
The act, which is up for reauthorization, includes $12.5 million in federal funding for a major South Valley flood project. Bernalillo County and the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority would pick up $6.8 million of the $19.3 million Southwest Valley Flood Reduction Project.
Wilson said she remembered going to the South Valley in 1998, a day after a powerful rainstorm left pools of storm water waiting to evaporate. She said she saw the damage those waters did to properties.
"This is one of the most important projects in the South Valley," Wilson said.
The Water Resources Development Act of 2005 authorizes money for water resource projects, water studies and policy changes for the Army Corps of Engineers` civil works programs across the country. Congress will have to pass appropriation bills for the money to be spent.
"Under the umbrella of the Army Corps of Engineers, all of the entities involved— AMAFCA, the Mid-Rio Grande Conservancy District, and Bernalillo County— can comprehensively address flooding in the South Valley," Wilson said while standing atop the McCoy Dam west of Coors.
According to Wilson, the project would reduce flood damage by enlarging approximately 71/2 miles of Isleta, Armijo and Los Padillas drains to carry flood waters directly to the Rio Grande. In addition there would be new access roads and trails, a 25-acre detention pond and 1.5 miles of new flood flow channels to connect the drains to a discharge point into the Rio Grande.
"Wow, what a great project!" Danny Hernandez from the authority said.
Wilson said it was a bit difficult making the South Valley flood project fit into Washington`s funding specifications that look at high water-flows and high property values.
"We don`t live along the Mississippi, but we do have devastating flooding," Wilson said.
Peter Doles, Corps of Engineers` project manager, said the project will link three dams on the west side of Coors south of Rio Bravo— the McCoy on the south end of the project, Raymac in the middle and Don Felipe on the north end.
Subhas Shah, chief engineer for the conservancy district, said, "The project is a good example of how government agencies can work together for the benefit of all citizens."
Officials have said it will cost more than $110 million to address all of the flooding problems in the South Valley.
AMAFCA will ask for another $10 million in a bond issue in the November 2006 election. It received $20 million from a bond package that passed in 2004.
Included in the House version of the bill is $40 million to improve water conservation, waste-water treatment, storm-water retention and other water projects in other areas in Bernalillo County, as well as in Sandoval and Valencia counties. |
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