AUTHORIZATION: Resolution of the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the US Senate, adopted August 12, 1986
TYPE OF PROJECT: Flood Risk Management
PROJECT PHASE: Feasibility
NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR: El Paso Water Utility and El Paso County, Texas
BACKGROUND: The study area is located in the northwest section of El Paso, TX. The study area is drained by a series of arroyos that convey storm runoff from the Franklin Mountains through the study area across the Rio Grande valley to the river. The headwater terrain is steep and runoff is fast with little absorption. The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), which has jurisdiction for the Rio Grande along the US-Mexico border, is scheduled to begin construction of a floodwall/levee system along the Rio Grande in this area in Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study, which is an integral part of the IBWC’s project design, will investigate solutions to flooding from runoff from the Franklin Mountains to the Rio Grande. The IBWC does not have authority for work beyond the foot print of their project.
Recent rapid development in this area of the City has increased the potential for flooding and related problems. There are approximately 2,000 residences and numerous commercial and industrial structures that are subject to flooding. On 25 September 1987, flows resulting from thunderstorms on the 12.4 square mile drainage area flooded several areas in the northwest section of El Paso and caused over $400,000 damage. Additional flooding in August and September 2006 caused millions of dollars in damages.
The current population in the study area is about 5,000 and is expected to increase to over 40,000 by the year 2015. Intense thunderstorms on the west side of the Franklin Mountains cause high flows in several unnamed arroyos that enter the Rio Grande valley. There is no existing outlet in the valley to convey the flood flows to the Rio Grande. Development has encroached on the arroyos and substantial ponding of flood waters occurs.
The study will incorporate a floodplain management plan and examine structural and non-structural solutions to existing flooding problems in the study area, and will integrated with the IBWC design analyses. The U.S. Army Corps study was placed on hold on 2005 at the request of the City of El Paso. A letter requesting resumption of the study with increased scope was received from El Paso Water utility in 2009. Funding to resume coordination of this project with the IBWC was reprogrammed into this project in FY 11.The project has international importance as it will study drainage of flood flows from the Franklin Mountains to the Rio Grande required for the IBWC project along the international boundary. This project is an integral part of the IBWC floodwall/ levee project.
STATUS: The study was not funded in FY 2012.