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ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) -- Washington County is getting an additional $63 million for flood prevention and this time Gunlock is at the head of the line for funding.
In the January floods, Gunlock residents were cut off for a time and some, including Lynn and Roxanne Aplanalp, had food damage to their homes.
Roxanne Aplanalp, a member of the Gunlock Special Service District, told The Spectrum in April that many Gunlock residents wondered why federal funds had not been used to help their community.
But now two projects near Gunlock have been approved and are going to bid this week, said Washington County Commissioner Alan Gardner.
The money was approved for the county through the National Resource Conservation Service's Emergency Watershed Protection Program.
The funds will be used for flood mitigation projects throughout the county, including debris removal and bank armoring.
Shortly after the flooding, the county received about $9 million in EWP funds, the bulk of which went toward debris removal and bank armoring along the southern portion of the Santa Clara River in St. George and Santa Clara.
Ron Whitehead, county public works director, said county officials had difficulty in getting projects dealing with stream alterations in the Gunlock area approved by state officials. He said it was hard to convince the state that the emergency was not over.
Much of the work will throughout the county will be debris removal and bank armoring along the Santa Clara River.
Large rocks are used to armor the banks. Sediment and debris is removed to allow high water to flow more smoothly,
During the January flooding, large amounts of debris added to the abrasive effect the floodwater had on the surrounding banks. The floodwater eventually cut away the banks, undermining homes in St. George and Santa Clara and toppling them into the river.
After the work in Gunlock and an area south of the Gunlock Reservoir, the county likely will work downriver with other projects, Whitehead said.
Gardner said the conservation service has finished its assessments along the riverway and recently met with county officials to prioritize the projects.
As soon as design work for the other projects is complete, rights of way are secured and the projects are approved by state and federal agencies, they will got to bid.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
