FARMINGTON -- In an effort to reduce the severity of future floods or mud flows stemming from the 2003 Farmington Fire, the Wasatch Cache National Forest has completed construction of flood control structures in the watersheds above the Compton Bench area here.
The structures consist of a series of trenches that will intercept runoff and mud flow debris from thunderstorms and spread it across the Bonneville Shoreline Terrace, according to Paul Flood, burn restoration coordinator. "The April 6 mud flows that affected the Compton bench area eroded large amounts of sediment from the lower portions of the Bonneville Shoreline Terrace. Our intent with the trenches is to slow down the runoff and get it to soak into the soil before it reaches the lower terrace, preventing further erosion of the gullies that formed..." he said.
Several residents living in the area expressed concern that the recently completed structures would increase the risk of flooding to their homes. "I want to assure these folks that this is not the case," Flood said. "We carefully measured and analyzed the slopes in the area to prevent this very thing from happening. For flood waters to reach the Pointe of View subdivision from the diversion trenches we constructed, water would literally have to flow uphill. However, these homes are still at considerable risk to flooding from future thunderstorm events, and will remain so until a more permanent flood control solution can be found."
Wasatch Cache National Forest officials are continuing to work with Farmington City and Davis County planners to identify and install flood control treatments for home in the Compton bench area.