Flooding Raises Questions About Drainage System

EL PASO, TX – Thursday’s rainstorms temporarily crippled movement within the city – providing ample evidence the city’s drainage infrastructure is not ready to withstand a rainstorm the magnitude of STORM 2006.

Drivers on the West Side had to deal with minor flooding on city streets. For nearly an hour, north and southbound vehicles on Mesa street braved the flooding. Some vehicles stopped until the water recededwhile some drivers actually dared to cross the large murky puddles.

Visibility was low and the road conditions were treacherous near the Sun Bowl and the Don Haskins Center. Some drivers stuck inthe area clamored on top of their cars for safety.Some cars resembled boats as theyfloated across muddled water. “The first thing I have to think about is how to get the hell out…how to get out of here,” said one frustrated driver.

AdrianMoreno, who works near the area, tells ABC-7 something needs to be done to solve the flooding problem. “This area, every time it rains…it fills up in a minute…it isreally bad, seriously, it fills up in just a matter of minutes,” he said.

The intersection of Paisano and Executive, closed for several days during last year’s storm , is still prone to heavy flooding. Thursday, drivers tried to drive across another massive lake – some failed to make it through. “I was stuck in between two puddles and I said, ‘well, I went through one already, maybe I’ll do it again,’ unfortunately, I wasn’t that lucky,” said the driver of a car that stalled while trying to make it across the flooded intersection.

After the rain stopped,city crews worked hard to clear mud and rocks away from curbs and drains. Police were on the scene directing traffic through the shrinking puddles. However, some viewers called in to complain that rocks were still spread across streets and were being shotinto the airby the tires of cars driving full speed through the area.

Wednesday, Mayor John Cook stated the drainage infrastructure has only been slightly improved and renovated since last year’s storm. “I don’t want to fool anybody and tell them we’ll be okay if we get another 28 days of rain, like we had last year,” he said.

Tom White, with the El Paso Police Department, tells ABC-7 flooding has not been a major issue this month because rainstorms have not been as severe as last year. “This is not as bad as it was last year but I think people did learn their lesson from last year,” he said, referring to the more cautious driving habits of drivers during rainstorms this year.

Julie Baldwin, Spokeswoman for the City Engineering Department, said crews are still working on critical drainage problems. She did state Wednesday and Thursday’s lack of major flooding can only be attributed to a lackof severe rainfall – not to minor renovations made on the drainage infrastructure.