Bureau of Reclamation Continues Contribution to the Wash
Nonstop bulldozers, crashing boulders, heavy-duty trucks and 10 hour days! This is the life for Bureau of Reclamation's (BOR) specialized construction crew. These highly-trained teams are an important and valuable part to the restoration process taking place at the Las Vegas Wash.
What makes these construction operators so unique are their years of highly-specialized training and involvement with environmentally-sensitive projects. From high mountain streams and endangered fish to wide-open prairies of sensitive habitat, these operators are not only environmentally friendly but environmentally helpful.
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| Reclamation construction crews based out of Provo, Utah, install down drains and repair a roadway that was damaged by storm flows from spring flooding. |
The Bureau of Reclamation has assisted with channel stabilization activities on the Wash since 2001. Thus far, their crews have constructed three erosion control structures (Monson, Visitor Center Weirs, and Calico Ridge Weirs), and have maintained and conducted flood damage repair, and installed several thousands of feet of bank protection. Other projects include building the constructed wetlands pond at the Henderson Water Reclamation Facility. To date the Bureau of Reclamation’s construction efforts on the Wash have saved the public more than $10 million in commercial construction costs.
Upcoming Activity
During this last round of work, the BOR removed several acres of tamarisk for an upcoming Green-Up event, site preparation for the future Sunrise Mountain Weir and an extension of the Historic Lateral Weir, installed a culvert bridge over the City of Henderson outfall channel, laying back the slope of the road on the east side of the C-1 Channel bridge as well as several repair projects from damage sustained from the spring floods. Due to the proliferation willows and other woody plants growing on the middle of several weirs, BOR crews spent time removing these to return the weirs to full functionality. The thick material tends to resist higher flows and therefore increases the potential for flooding.
The contributions from the BOR are enormous and the Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee is glad that the Wash continues to benefit from those contributions. Keep checking the website for more updates on the ever changing Las Vegas Wash!