City Heading Back Toward Normalcy
Date:
01/22/2010 (Last updated: 01/25/2010)Summary:
The City of Yuma is heading back toward normalcy. As the series of unusually strong storms ended, City crews are beginning the final cleanup phase.Contact:
With Storms Ending, Final Cleanup Begins
Yuma, Arizona - The City of Yuma is heading back toward normalcy. As the series of unusually strong storms ended, City crews are beginning the final cleanup phase.
City crews continued to work throughout the night Thursday and into Friday to ensure that Yuma neighborhoods were kept safe from the flooding that the community has experienced in the past.
As of 9:30 a.m. Friday morning workers were doing the final mop-up in the Del Oro, Hacienda Estates, and Tierra Kino subdivisions. "We've had crews out since about 1 a.m. Thursday morning," said Joel Olea, the Director of Field Operations for the Public Works Department. "We've been pumping water out of neighborhoods and retention basins as those basins filled up after this week's wetter-than-normal weather. The good thing is that our system worked for the most part. The water moved from the streets and neighborhoods into the basins that we've constructed over the last few years. The areas where water accumulated were the neighborhoods where basins haven't been constructed yet. With the new retention basins and other construction projects planned over the next few years, the system will get even better."
"There were a few anxious moments Thursday as water started to rise in neighborhoods and basins began to fill," said Greg Hyland, the City's Director of Communication and Public Affairs. "But we were able to move water from the basins into area parks and athletic fields. City crews also found that someone had blocked the drains in the Barkley Ranch basins. They were able to remove the obstructions and those basins began to drain on their own.
"We'd like to thank the citizens of Yuma and our partners in the media for their help in getting the word out and getting prepared in advance of the storm's onslaught. Everything worked the way it was supposed to. When you receive nearly your annual rainfall in two days, you don't know what will happen. We were prepared, and everything worked as planned."
"I am extremely proud of our City employees," remarked City Administrator Mark Watson. "They were forward-thinking. They anticipated the danger and potential problems, got prepared, and made sure everything worked. We had crews out working in the storms starting at one o'clock in the morning on Thursday and working until this morning. This is what public service is all about: when the problems arise, our employees respond and always come through with flying colors. I can't say enough good things about our employees who worked through this situation."
Water service is still out in one neighborhood located in a county island. Electric utility crews responding to downed power lines got stuck when their vehicle sank in the mud in an alley near 16th Street and Avenue B. Two water service lines were broken during attempts to remove the vehicle, leaving one neighborhood without water service late Thursday and into Friday. Once the vehicle is removed, City utility crews will begin repairs to the water lines. The vehicle is expected to be removed by noon on Friday.
The City of Yuma Police and Fire Departments reported normal levels of activity for this time of year. The Police Department did not report any storm-related incidents after 5 p.m. Thursday.
City crews will begin making repairs to affected local streets on Saturday, giving the road surface a little time to dry out. City workers will also begin removing downed trees that fell because of the saturated ground and high winds. By early next week, City officials expect everything should be back to normal.
For further information about the City's storm preparations or other safe driving tips, contact Greg Hyland at (928) 373-5023, or Dave Nash at (928) 373-5015.
For More Information
For further information, please contact Greg Hyland, CPM, the City of Yuma's Director of Communications & Public Affairs at (928) 373-5023 or by e-mail or Dave Nash, City of Yuma Public Affairs Coordinator at (928) 373-5015 or by e-mail.
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Media Contacts
Members of the media may contact Director of Communications and Public Affairs Greg Hyland, CPM at (928) 373-5023 or (928) 580-4751, or Public Affairs Coordinator Dave Nash at (928) 373-5015, or (928) 941-0199.
