Las Vegas’ flood-control network limits damage from weekend deluge

The Las Vegas Valley largely avoided major infrastructure damage during heavy weekend rains, a result the Regional Flood Control District attributes to decades of investment in drainage systems. Andrew Trelease, the district's general manager and chief engineer, said downtown's Arts District and parts of Henderson saw particularly intense rainfall Friday afternoon — around an inch in an hour, which he described as a five-year storm event.

While flooding was reported in Henderson and downtown, with some businesses taking on water, cities across Southern Nevada reported minimal infrastructure damage Monday. Trelease said the district has completed more than 722 miles of storm drains and channels and 113 detention basins since the late 1980s, spending about $2.77 billion on regional flood control infrastructure.

"When it rains, like it did over the weekend, the areas where our infrastructure is already in place it doesn't get any attention because it works well," Trelease said. "It's in the areas where we don't have the infrastructure there yet that really have the biggest problems." He acknowledged that parts of the valley still need flood control improvements.

The National Weather Service said rainfall varied widely across the valley. Meteorologist Samuel Meltzer noted some areas got nothing while others were "totally washed out." Measurements showed 0.83 inches near Eastern Avenue and Bonanza Road, with half an inch to an inch in parts of Boulder City, East Henderson and North Las Vegas. Hail the size of ping pong balls was reported at Sahara Avenue and Maryland Parkway.

Henderson officials responded to water and debris on roadways throughout the city's eastern portion. Racetrack Road and Lake Mead Parkway near Lake Las Vegas Parkway were temporarily closed due to flooding. Two sections of the River Mountain Loop Trail were completely washed away and will remain closed while damage is assessed. The Henderson Fire Department performed four flooding-related rescues, including one person rescued from a vehicle.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal