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BISBEE — Should the county take over responsibility for a $225,000 construction project that affects two property owners along the San Pedro River?
That was the question posed at the Cochise County Flood Control Board meeting Tuesday morning.
County Highway and Floodplain interim director Patricia Morris asked the board members, who also serve as the county Board of Supervisors, to approve an agreement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service that would call for the county to take ownership of a proposed $225,000 retention wall adjoining an old agricultural dam along the San Pedro River north of St. David.
Though the NCRS would pay for construction of the wall, the county is being asked to take it over and maintain it for 25 years.
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In 2000, flooding caused severe erosion in that area along the San Pedro River and took out a stream bed protection wall, Morris explained. NCRS built a drainage wall to help the property owners in 2002. It was washed out again in 2006, and NCRS took the blame for the failure of the wall.
NCRS representatives asked the department to get rights of way so their staff could observe and maintain the integrity of the wall when it is rebuilt, Morris added. Now that the county has right of ways across the properties, NCRS wants the new agreement approved.
“It is possible that the wall will have to be repaired again if flooding occurs,” Morris told the board members. “If it fails, we would be responsible to repair it.”
That fact created some doubt in the minds of board members Pat Call and Paul Newman.
Call said, “This area is very active ... I’m concerned with that. We’ve seen significant damage occur there. We may be putting future boards of supervisors at risk of having to spend a great deal of money.”
The agreement as requested by NCRS says the county shall “complete all maintenance and repair or replacement activities within a reasonable time after the identification of such a need, without cost to NCRS.”
The county is required to obtain prior NCRS approval of all plans for maintenance that deviate from or alter the original plan and be fiscally responsible for the replacement of parts or portions of the wall. The NCRS will assist the county on annual inspections of the wall for stability and damage.
Morris responded by saying the new design of the NCRS is better than what was built in 2002 at a shared cost between the county and NCRS of $173,000.
Call also wondered about the noticeable change in flow direction, toward the east, the river was taking and wondered if the agricultural dam across the river at that point was really necessary since the agricultural use for which it was built no longer existed.
“Putting that dam on the San Pedro wasn’t a good idea to begin with,” Call said. “It significantly changed the river bed. This is a long-term commitment to something that could cost the county an enormous sum of money. If it’s built for $225,000 now, will it be $300,000 or more in the future?”
Board member Paul Newman also voiced his concerns, “I, too, am concerned how the river flows through there. I thought we would be talking to hydrologists, experts in the field, about the river flow and if the structures are really necessary ... Will this help the health of the river?... It looks like the river wants to change its flow. I’d like to hear from other agencies, like the Nature Conservancy. I want to know what the maintenance costs will be and what we will be required to do. This is an area we need to look at. Since there’s no longer a need, there’s no need to divert the water. A hydrologist needs to give us some information.”
Board member Richard Searle, who represents the area as a county supervisor, said residents of St. David were concerned that if the dam were removed, it could cause flooding problems downstream. “If we remove it, there will be a reciprocal effect. The channel will deepen if the dam comes out,” Searle said.
Call replied, “We don’t know that. There’s a significant change in the channel now. I’m not comfortable with this. I can’t support it now. I need more information.”
Newman agreed and added, “I need an expert to tell me whether this dam is necessary and why it needs to be there ... As stewards of the river, we need to understand the flow of the river and the hydrology ... The Upper San Pedro Partnership should be in on this as well.”
So the board members determined that a special meeting should be held to gather information. They want an analysis of the effects on the river if the dam and the protective wall is not rebuilt, as well as costs involved in the maintenance of the structures.
The special meeting is anticipated to be held during the week of March 24 if the NCRS and all parties involved and requested can make it.
Hank Moore wrote on Mar 13, 2008 6:45 AM: