PDM - Town Of Taylor, Railroad Grade Wash Flood Control Public Notice

Initial Public Notice: Town Of Taylor, Railroad Grade Wash Flood Control  |  Navajo County, AZ  |  PDMC-PJ-09-AZ-2018-008

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) intends to provide federal financial assistance under the Pre-Disaster Grant Program to the Town of Taylor in Navajo County, AZ, to provide flood control features along and around Paper Mill Road. The proposed action would mitigate impacts from flooding. Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management), Executive Order 11990 (Wetlands Management), and FEMA’s implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides interested parties with a notice of its intent to carry out an action affecting floodplains and wetlands.

The purpose of the proposed action is to develop and construct flood control features within the railroad wash in the Town of Taylor. The proposed action begins approximately 400 feet north of Angus Road and follows Foothills Boulevard approximately 600 feet west to Paper Mill Road, arches to the east over the neighborhood at 1100 Street West, and ends at Centennial Boulevard approximately 600 feet north of Paper Mill Road. Elements of the project include channelization, road crossings, a spoils area, and detention basins. There would be approximately 1,800 feet of channelization up to 50 feet wide and 2 feet deep. There would be road crossings at Indian Village Road, Palomino Drive, Ranch Road, and Centennial Boulevard. The crossings would either be a roadway dip or culvert and they would be up to 8 feet deep. There would be six basins constructed, with the largest basin, Casa Linda basin, measuring 14 acres; the deepest basin, South Papermill Bason, would be up to 8 feet deep. Lastly, an approximately 4-acre spoil and borrow area would be added north of Freeman Park. The total acres of ground disturbance would be approximately 37 acres.

The project area is in the 100-year floodplain as depicted on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Numbers 04017C4251E and 04017C4253E, effective date September 26, 2008. The FIRM shows that the project area lies within Zone AE, an area that has a 1-percent probability of flooding every year and where predicted floodwater elevations have been established. The project area is also within a floodway.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) map shows  freshwater forested/shrub wetlands within the project area. Examination of the underlying aerial photography did not identify any potential wetlands, however, the 8-step process for wetlands is still required as it is identified within the area. Based on the evaluation of the aerial photography, it does not appear that any wetlands would be impacted.

Additional information about FEMA’s proposed action, including maps showing the potential impacts to floodplains and wetlands, may be obtained by writing the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer at FEMA, 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, California 94607, or fema-rix-ehp-documents@fema.dhs.gov, or calling (510) 627-7027. All requests should be received within 15 days after publication of this notice.