At their July 14 meeting, Globe City Council learned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency declined the city’s request for reconsideration of a disaster declaration after last fall’s flooding. Bank stabilization is starting in Pinal Creek, with 16,000 cubic yards of material to be placed in nine areas. Council also recognized Jodi Martin upon her retirement after 30 years with the water department.
Nearly 10 months after the September 26 flood, the city’s extensive recovery efforts are far from complete, City Manager Paul Jepson told the council.
Jepson presented a summary of the city’s immediate response to the flooding, including the community-wide cleanup that took place the following week. The storms caused citywide damage and struck Globe’s water and sewer systems harder than officials initially realized.
The event was the most expensive natural disaster in Arizona in the past 20 years, other than COVID-19.
Jepson also informed council that FEMA denied Globe’s appeal for a disaster declaration because the eligible damage to public infrastructure didn’t reach a roughly $13 million threshold.
This happened in part because federal calculations excluded damage covered by other programs, including creek work funded through the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
FEMA also questioned whether damage to approximately 2.5 miles of sewer line resulted from the flood or normal deterioration. The city argued that flood debris entering the system and being forced downstream did cause identifiable damage in some sections of the line. However, FEMA appears not to have accepted this argument.
The denial will affect residents who would have qualified for full FEMA property buyouts. However, Globe can now pursue possible property acquisitions through the NRCS. Demolition of some flood-damaged structures could begin this week, but details are still being finalized.
A $2.5 million state allocation will cover Globe’s required 25% match for NRCS recovery work. The funding is part of a bipartisan $10 million regional appropriation recently approved by the governor and legislature.
Mayor Al Gameros cautioned that Globe’s finances will remain tight during the coming fiscal year as the city pays recovery expenses and seeks reimbursement.
“We’ve got a tough year ahead of us,” he said.
He said this year’s goal would be to hold city finances steady, and the city hopes to be able to make more forward movement next year.
Globe’s flood-recovery work is moving from emergency sediment removal into a five-week effort to stabilize vulnerable creek banks before the current federal funding period ends in September.
Mike Garrison, the general superintendent at Tiffany Construction, said crews have removed approximately 44,000 cubic yards of sediment and debris from the creek, enabling bridges, box culverts and other structures to be reopened that had been obstructed after the September flood. The work is about 90% complete.
Crews were expected to finish the remaining cleanup, including branches, concrete and material beneath several structures, after which bank stabilization would begin.
Chris Dusza of CivilTech Engineering said their company has identified nine large sections of the creek where erosion could threaten homes, businesses, roads or utilities.
The sites include outside bends where fast-moving water is most likely to cut into the banks. Straight, well-vegetated stretches showing little erosion will generally be left undisturbed.
Approximately 16,000 cubic yards of locally sourced angular riprap — 30-inch-diameter rock — will be placed along the selected banks from the Ice House Canyon area downstream to near the Ford dealership. The rock will be installed in a layer nearly four feet thick over filter fabric.
Garrison said the riprap system is cheaper and faster to construct than shotcrete and is better suited to monsoon conditions. Crews can excavate and place rock in small sections without leaving long stretches of bank exposed. If heavy rain interrupts the work, the excavation can be temporarily covered and resumed later.
Additional rock will be buried six to eight feet beneath the creek bed at the base of each stabilized slope. That underground “toe” is intended to prevent flowing water from undermining the bank.
Duzsa said the work must be carefully placed to avoid damaging the water lines and the sewer line crossing or running through the creek.
Two Tiffany crews will install about 500 cubic yards per day, and the project will be complete within about five weeks, weather permitting. This puts the completion ahead of the September 11 deadline for the NRCS funding.
Garrison said his company is taking precautions for safety and to avoid problems in case of weather events during the work.
CivilTech will also prepare a long-term operations and maintenance plan. For future sediment removal and repairs, the city will consider the possibility of permanent drainage easements and permitting arrangements that would allow crews to enter the creek quickly. Under those agreements, the city would take on permanent responsibility for keeping certain areas clean.
Public Works Director John Angulo also addressed questions about work currently underway off Oil Circle and Jesse Hayes roads, addressing drainage issues and lifted culverts. Angulo said the city is aware of the need to keep the road open. In case of heavy rain during the work, if Beer Tree Crossing has to be closed, the crews will backfill and open Oil Circle.
Update: This work was completed on July 24 and Jesse Hayes Road was reopened.
Council also recognized Jodi Martin on her retirement after 30 years of service. She retires as Globe’s water office manager, serving as a primary contact for residents with water and garbage-service issues.
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