HURRICANE, Utah (KUTV) \u2014 Hurricane Mayor Clark Fawcett said the city had not cleared Gould Wash near homes before it flooded for a second time.<\/p>\n
The city had denied 2News\u2019 daily requests to discuss the wash since Thursday\u2019s flooding, until the lieutenant governor visited the area Thursday.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, a city spokesperson said crews had cleared bridges and deposit areas. But Fawcett said Thursday that the city had neglected the wash in neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s something we have never worried too much about because it seemed like we were able to handle it. Now we\u2019ve got to look at it a little bit differently,\u201d Fawcett said.<\/p>\n
MORE | Hurricane Flooding<\/p>\n
Pecan Townhomes owner Mark Tabbilos expressed frustration after the property was hit by both the August and October floods.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the time this wash is full of junk, it\u2019s full of junk and we just wanted to do something about it,\u201d Tabbilos said. \u201cThe wash was still the same, there was nothing done and it\u2019s kind of frustrating because this happened again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fawcett said the city did not feel the need to clear Gould Wash near neighborhoods because there is typically a long stretch of time between storms.<\/p>\n
\u201cHistory said it\u2019s only happened every 20 or 30 years, so we were just going to go ahead and do the same thing like we\u2019ve always done and go in December. But we\u2019re on\u2014Unfortunately, Mother Nature proved that wrong,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The city typically clears the wash once a year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have irrigation water that runs through the section here, and so it gets so wet and muddy we usually wait till the irrigation\u2019s done,\u201d Fawcett said. \u201cWe do it in December.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fawcett said the city is reconsidering its approach to the wash.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe we\u2019ll need to do something more with it,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we can see we can get in on a less regular basis, we\u2019ll try to clear it out so we have it open for the season, which usually we get the floods from, which is the July and August thunderstorms. That\u2019s where you get flooding from. This is unprecedented to have one this late into the year.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The city has started clearing debris ahead of weekend rain. Asked about widening or deepening the wash or adding protective walls, Fawcett said the city would need to present plans to the Army Corps of Engineers, which has jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do need to plan. We do need to get it done,\u201d Fawcett said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get it up to a larger capacity here even if we\u2019re going to do the detention basin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Flood committee member Cherie Santiago said she was grateful the city was assessing the wash\u2019s long-term stability but wanted officials to allow enough time to do the work properly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we make it shorter somewhere else, this house complex might be safe, but then someone else down the road isn\u2019t. So that attention is to the professionals who can get that done properly,\u201d Santiago said.<\/p>\n
Fawcett said he believes the lieutenant governor\u2019s visit will help bring funding and other resources for improvements to the wash.<\/p>\n
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