New panel to aid in area flood protection

Friday, Oct. 15, 1999 | 11:30 a.m.

The Clark County Regional Flood Control District Board of Directors formed a committee Thursday charged with speeding up improvements to the flood-control system to avoid damaging flash floods such as the one on July 8.

The board approved formation of the committee to review and make recommendations for expediting the district's 27-year master plan for flood facilities.

Board member and Clark County Commissioner Dario Herrera said the emphasis will be on finding the resources to fund construction of flood-control systems as soon as possible. The priority, he said, will be to "protect people in populated areas."

Las Vegas City Councilman Larry Brown said the community-based group would accelerate the implementation of the master plan.

Members of the committee approved Thursday will include representatives from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Nevada Taxpayers Association, Association of General Contractors, Southern Nevada Homebuilders Association, environmental organizations, the state legislature, the Nevada Resort Association and the district's Board of Directors and Citizens Advisory Committee.

The committee's recommendations should go to the district board no later than July 2000, although recommendations could be implemented sooner, Herrera said.

Planning and the bidding process for flood-control work is one area that will be examined, he said. Herrera said some recommendations would likely require legislative authorization.

"The bottom line is: Can we do it faster and can we do it better?" Herrera said.

Herrera asked that the committee be formed after the July 8 floods, which killed two people and caused at least $20 million in damage.