Storm drainage committee hoping for extra years

When Carsonk City's Storm Drainage Advisory Committee was started in 1998, it was given two years to examine storm drainage issues.

The seven committee members' terms are up in August, but their work is just beginning.

Monday the committee will disscuss continuing to help the city plan for storm drainage needs.

"One thing Carson City is lacking is a really sound drainage system," said Jay Aldean, committee chairman. "There are areas that will require significant enhancements to the drainage system. Before we all die, we need to have some dollars to work with. A lot of effort has gone into planning, but we have to have the dollars to in order to build the projects.

"We need to be rechartered. This project was not a project that was going to occur in a short amount of time."

The committee more than likely will be involved in helping the city set up a storm drainage utility to help fund the construction of a storm water management system.

"It doesn't matter what side of Highway 395 you live on, there are water problems," said committee member Susan Oakwood. "Carson City is full of water underneath the ground and over the ground.

"With all the development, there have been complications. With parking lots, where does the water go? It's not an isolated thing. This is a community problem. They say if it's not broke, don't fix it. After being on that committee for two years ... well, we're broke. We need to be fixed."

The committee now has two years of expertise that will be invaluable to continued storm drainage planning, said Mahmood Azad, development services director.

Committee member Howard Anderson said the city has been aggressive in trying to plan for a major flood, worse than the 1997 flood.

"Carson City has a unique situation," he said. "We sit right below the hills and we do get a lot of water. The east side of town has a groundwater problem. There's an urgency to finish planning. It will cost quite a bit of money. But it's well worth it to do it before something disastrous happens to our community."