The Las Vegas Valley is an area of extreme weather conditions. Although the hot, dry climate can on occasion exceed 110 degree temperatures, winters can bring below freezing temperatures. The Las Vegas Valley averages barely over four inches of rain per year. So when it does rain it is a downpour. The desert washes can be dry for years, then a desert monsoon hits and the washes are raging rivers flooding everything in their path. People who have lived in Las Vegas for twenty years of more remember the Charleston Underpass flooded, raging rivers under the Imperial Palace and aerial pictures of the Las Vegas Strip filled with water and abandoned cars. Nowadays flooding like this is unusual.
Historically, the flood waters would damage exiting homes and businesses. This created flood hazard zones on vacant land making the properties unbuildable. Developers could acquire land from the Federal Government for new residential and commercial construction, but would have to avoid the flood hazard areas.
To manage the flood zones and damaging floods the Clark County Regional Flood Control District (CCRFCD) was established in 1985 to develop a comprehensive Master Plan to solve flooding problems in the Valley. The department regulates development in flood hazard zones while funding and coordinating the construction of flood control facilities. In the past storm water would flow from the surrounding foothills, collect in the Vegas Valley and travel towards the Las Vegas Wash on the east side of the Valley. Along the way the storm water would flood anything in its path. The CCRFCD has developed a coordinated series of basins, storm drains, culvers and concrete channels to pass the water in a safe and controlled manner from one end of the Valley to the other, and eventually to Lake Mead.
In doing so the CCRFCD has protected existing developments and probably saved lives. Also, vacant land that was in flood hazard zones and not useable in the past, now can be used for residential and commercial development. This is not an easy process, but with the help of an experienced company like First Fidelity Realty DeSimone it can be accomplished professionally, on time and on budget. Joe DeSimone leads this team and can be contacted at 702 990-8660.
It has been thirty years since the Clark County Region Flood Control District started to control the desert floods. The job is not complete yet, but they have made the Valley a safer place to live.
Image provided by floodsafety.noaa.gov