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PHOENIX — On May 6, the Flood Control District, in conjunction with the Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management (MCDEM) and the National Weather Service (NWS), conducted the second broad-based joint flood response exercise in the Phoenix metropolitan area to practice implementing emergency action plans during a major flood event, the region’s most likely natural disaster.
The exercise set in motion a controlled flood emergency scenario simulation designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the emergency operations plans used by local agencies and communities, and test the readiness of intergovernmental emergency communication systems. The NWS worked with county personnel to design and develop a heavy rain event which could realistically affect the Phoenix metro area. During the exercise, NWS forecasters were given the hypothetical rain event to analyze before issuing warnings to MCDEM, the District and participating communities in the metro area.
“Even during a drought, Mother Nature can surprise us with a severe rainstorm,” said Tim Phillips, the District’s chief engineer and general manager. “Our annual flood exercise keeps us sharp and prepared to implement our emergency action plans in the event of an unforeseen major flood.”
The command center and communications hub for the exercise was MCDEM’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located in a Cold War-vintage bunker deep inside a hill overlooking the Papago Military Reservation in Phoenix. In the past, the District has performed annual flood drills featuring four-hour “tabletop” exercises along with separate field drills. This year’s exercise was the most comprehensive flood emergency test yet devised. Participants included officials from Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, and Litchfield Park, along with additional participants from a range of public agencies including law enforcement, health and environmental safety.
District staff members served as expert advisors during the flood exercise. Real-time rainfall, streamflow and dam impoundment water level data was provided by the District’s ALERT system gages and transmitted to District representatives in the EOC. District engineering staff created, monitored and analyzed hydrologic (water flow) models based on rainfall and runoff conditions. District Operations & Maintenance crews practiced on-site inspections of flood control structures.
“Along with safety exercises at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, the annual flood response exercise is one of the county’s most critical emergency planning events,” said Andy Kunasek, chairman, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
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