2/7/2010 11:02:00 PM Editorial: History tells us where not to build
The Daily Courier
The usually dry Agua Fria River is a mighty force that ignores boundaries when rains cause it to jump its banks.
Headlines from the past prove the horror that this river can become:
December 1978 - "Flood waters swept away two Interstate 17 bridges and six persons were killed when their car plunged into the ragtag Agua Fria River ..."
March 1998 - "The waters of Black Canyon Creek threatened to take out an 81-unit mobile home park in Black Canyon City ... "
April 1998 - "The Black Canyon City fire chief called for help as the raging creek and Agua Fria River continued to rise a foot per hour ... "
January 2010 - "Black Canyon City gets the brunt of storm ... the RV park on the confluence of the Black Canyon Creek and the Agua Fria River has been devastated ... "
February 2010 - "Initial surveys have counted approximately 150 to 200 homes destroyed and another 200-300 with major impacts from the record-breaking Black Canyon City flooding Jan. 21-22 ... "
A week ago, these Black Canyon City residents who are now homeless because of the river's torrent in January expressed frustration at a community meeting where they heard promises of help from the government and through fundraisers and donations of money, food and clothing.
They need this support, because this most recent crisis has turned their lives upside down - again.
Lou Trammell, director of the Arizona Division of Emergency Management, told the crowd at the meeting, "We think wholeheartedly that we're going to be able to bring this community back better than the way it was."
If Black Canyon City is going to be restored to "better than the way it was," there is only one answer. A harsh one.
History tells us that efforts to tame the Agua Fria and its tributaries have been futile. In the end, the water's destructive path outwits the muscle that has tried to rein it in.
The only way - the only way - the small community can be better than the way it was is to forbid people's return to areas that the Agua Fria River and its tributaries threaten and relocate them to higher, safer ground.
Surely, they would come to understand the practicality, wisdom and safety of this.
Reader Comments
Posted: Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
Maybe the trailers should have waterproof bottoms so they can float like boats when the river floods.
Posted: Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Article comment by:
Sail Away
Challenging rising waters is generally a losing proposition in the long run. Sort of like counting on your home value to increase by 10 perceent per year every year. Basically many of them knew this could be a problem but probably couldn't afford to live elsewhere. Some of those trailers couldn't be moved at all I bet. So they just get washed away and that's the end of that tune.
Posted: Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Article comment by:
Jay
They can "choose" to live and build in a riverbed all they want but don't ask me to bail them out when it floods.
Posted: Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Article comment by:
Not Sympathic to this one
If I buy a rathole trailer, put it in a riverbed, wait for a flood, will I get govt money and have everybody feel sorry that I lost my home because I lived in a RIVERBED.
Posted: Monday, February 08, 2010
Article comment by:
angry taxpayer
Actually one should look to city and county planners allowing developers to build in floodplains by raising the foundation to federal standards. AND like in Chino Valley, the water then goes into another neighborhood that was NOT in the flood plain.
Posted: Monday, February 08, 2010
Article comment by:
Doubtful
"Surely, they would come to understand the practicality, wisdom and safety of this."
I doubt it. New Orleans didn't.
