Consideration and Approval of Contract: Ratification of the Emergency Construction Contract #2023-153 and subsequent Change Order 1 with Joe Dirt Excavating for the dredging and repair of Frances Short Pond in the amount of $414,484.44.

1. Ratify and approve the Emergency Construction Contract #2023-153 in the amount of $397,784.44 and the subsequent Change Order 1 in the amount of $16,700.00 for a total contract amount of $414,484.44 with Joe Dirt Excavating for the dredge and repair of Frances Short Pond after the post-wildfire flood events of 2022.
2. Ratify the authorization to the City Manager to execute all necessary documents.

Frances Short Pond was impacted by multiple flash floods in the summer of 2022. Due to the disposition of the flood sediment (and ash), the water quality of the pond was very poor and thus unable to sustain aquatic life. It also became a hazard to the public. Additionally, with the pond capacity compromised, the functionality of the pond to act as a flood control facility was greatly diminished. The impacts of flooding to the downstream business and residential homes were inherently increased with a compromised Frances Short Pond. The dredging (sediment removal) of the pond was eligible for State Disaster recovery funds from post-fire flooding in 2022; however, that source of funding had an August 2nd, 2023 deadline for expenditure. Emergency procurement was needed while City Council was on summer recess to complete this needed disaster recovery project before funding eligibility expired.

This Project is funded by Public Assistance Grant SD#2303 from the Arizona Department of Emergency Management and Military Affairs (DEMA) for assistance with Pipeline West Post-Fire Flooding 2022. Up to 75% of the costs of the pond dredging and repairs (approximately $303,176) should be reimbursable by DEMA.  There was conduit ran to the pond island that is new infrastructure ($10,250.00) and will be funded through a separate Water Services/Stormwater account. The contract for these services is for a total of $414,484.44.

PBB Priorities
The maintenance of this ecosystem is a critical need that supports stormwater infrastructure and is a high priority in PBB. This project is an extension to the City of Flagstaff’s goals to environmental stewardship priorities. This project will promote, protect & enhance a healthy, sustainable environment & its natural resources. With the removal of the sediment, this will strengthen Flagstaff’s resilience to climate change impacts in the Rio de Flag corridor.
Carbon Neutrality Plan
This project will increase the Rio de Flag resilience to stormwater emergencies in the future.
Regional Plan
This project fully supports our ecosystem and aids in the Rio de Flag watershed. With the completed project, staff is anticipating a large benefit to the public health (as outlined in the regional snapshot).

No previous council decisions on this project.

Approve / ratify the construction contract with Joe Dirt Excavation for the Frances Short Pond sediment removal project in the amount of $414,484.44.

Frances Short Pond is located adjacent Thorpe Road and was constructed in 1923 to serve as a water storage tank for the Santa Fe Railroad steam trains. Over the years, the pond has been improved to serve not only local wildlife needs but recreation and act as a flood control structure. The pondwater is supplied by waters that flow through the Rio de Flag that is one of the major waterways through Flagstaff that ultimately drains into the Little Colorado River. The Rio de Flag is supplied by various springs as well as runoff from the San Francisco Peaks. In June of 2022 there was a large forest fire within the San Francisco Peaks named the Pipeline Fire that burnt approximately 26,500 acres. As a result of the fire, there has been a large volume of ash, soil and debris that has washed down the burn area, through the Rio de Flag and deposited into the Frances Short Pond. In 2021 and November 2022 the pond was surveyed to estimate the volume of sedimentation and overall capacity of the structure. It was determined that the overall capacity of the pond has been greatly diminished, due almost exclusively to the 2022 fire. The intent of the project is to remove the deposited sediment and thus improve the overall capacity and water quality of the pond. Dredging the pond before the monsoon season will provide critical flood mitigation for Downtown and Southside as well as provide the ability to re-fill the pond naturally so that it can be stocked with fish post-monsoon.

The Purchasing Director determined this project qualified as an Emergency Procurement due to the immediate flooding threat to citizens from possible monsoon rains. 

Over the life of the Frances Short Pond, there have been several redesigns and maintenance projects. With the recent runoff from the burn scar areas within the Pipeline fire area, a substantial volume of debris (soil, ash, rocks) deposited and compromised the water quality and overall capacity of the facility. The Frances Short Pond sediment removal project will provide a much-needed maintenance to the facility.

With the completion of the Frances Short Pond sediment removal project, the projected water quality will be able to sustain aquatic life of the pond, once filled by natural means. With the removal of the sediment, the pond capacity will be reestablished ensuring the functionality of the flood control facility.  This flood control facility provides meaningful flood mitigations to the residential homes and business owners downstream.

The community continues to support environmental stewardship priorities initiatives demonstrating a strong understanding of supporting a quality infrastructure and protect & enhance a healthy, sustainable environment & its natural resources.  City staff often receive citizen feedback and public participation to support our efforts of stormwater maintenance. City staff have placed temporary signage at the pond explaining the project, have provided updates at City Council monthly flood updates, and the Stormwater Section Director recently (8/5/23) gave a presentation to members of Friends of the Rio at the pond providing updates on the project.