With 2025's disastrous flooding in mind, and aiming to stem similar tragedies down the road, the Town of Miami, the City of Globe and Gila County have developed an intergovernmental agreement to create a long-term regional flood mitigation plan.
Last Monday, Miami's Town Council became the first government to approve that agreement.
“I love it. Let's do it,” said Mayor Gil Madrid.
Miami isn't just looking down the road, though. The council also got an update on the flood mitigation plans that are already underway, funded by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Under the agreement, which the council unanimously approved, Miami, Globe and the county will form a parties work group to collaborate with Freeport McMoRan-Miami, other regional stakeholders, and a team of post-wildfire flood mitigation experts on developing the plan.
Part of Freeport’s role is covering the cost of one of those experts. Miami Town Manager Alexis Rivera said the company would be contracting with Lucinda Andreani, Coconino County's flood control district administrator. Andreani was instrumental in securing about $100 million in funding after the 2022 Pipeline Fire.
The plan, according to the IGA, “includes a scope of work/mitigation measures, cost estimates, an education and communication plan, and a funding/financing plan.”
The IGA also stipulates that the plan must include at least 60% engineering plans of the proposed flood mitigation measure, that 60% being minimally required in order to seek funding." I hope that helps.
The work group will be spearheaded by the managers of Miami, Globe and Gila County. The group will also be responsible for communicating with legislators and state and federal agencies.
The process is expected to take at least two years, and includes presenting a draft flood mitigation plan to Miami Town Council, Globe City Council, the Gila County Board of Supervisors and the public. After gathering input from officials and the community, the work group will go back to the councils and the supervisors for final approval of the plan, along with a funding and financing plan.
“I'm hoping it grows beyond flood mitigation and we just keep doing it,” said Madrid.
Patrick Wolf from Wilson & Company appeared remotely to brief the council on current flood mitigation plans funded through a $6.5 million NRCS grant.
Wolf said four improvement sites had been proposed and were approved by NRCS: Bloody Tanks Wash, Latham Basin, Adonis Basin and Smelter Canyon Wash, also known as Mackey's Camp. Wolf said design surveys for each site were complete and the NRCS had just approved the environmental clearance.
That clearance, Wolf said, would be sent to municipalities and Native tribes in the area, which would have seven days to comment. The work also required a notice to proceed from the Town of Miami.
“We don't foresee getting any comments on the environmental side,” Wolf said.
He hoped all clearances would be received June 15, adding that the construction contractor, Tiffany Construction, was ready to start work June 16.
Sediment removal in Bloody Tanks Wash, throughout Miami, will be the project's first priority.
“Bloody Tanks Wash is the most crucial as it relates to the upcoming monsoon as far as safety,” Wolf said. “We're not as worried about those other sites as far as the monsoon.”
Wolf said the next step after Bloody Tanks Wash depended on acquiring rights of entry, another NRCS requirement.
“If we can get the right of entry for Latham Basin, we'll jump on that next.”
The project has a 220-day completion deadline from April 2, when the grant was awarded.
Asked by Madrid about getting an extension, Wolf said, “We can't necessarily bank on that yet. Our goal is to get as much done in that 220 days as we can, with the hopes that we do get an extension. I can't guarantee it, but they typically do provide that.”
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