Prescott Mayor Declares Emergency After Watson Lake Dam Overtops
Heavy rainfall triggered flooding that pushed water levels above the spillway, prompting city officials to close roads and open a county shelter.
By Mateo Thompson ·
Prescott Mayor Cathey Rusing declared a state of emergency after heavy rain caused widespread flooding and forced the Watson Lake Dam to overtop on Sunday.
The city activated its Emergency Operations Center at 8 a.m. to coordinate the response across all city departments. Officials are working directly with Yavapai County and the state of Arizona to manage the situation.
Water flowing into Watson Lake, also known as Granite Dam, peaked at more than 4,000 cubic feet per second. City officials stated that saturated ground in the mountains produced two to three times the normal runoff. The dam is rated to handle water flowing up to 10 feet over the top, and officials are continuously monitoring it for structural concerns. Inflow rates have since dropped to about 1,680 cubic feet per second.
Before the storms arrived, the Public Works Department opened Watson Lake’s 36-inch release valve and the crosscut channel to Willow Lake. This action lowered the reservoir to make room for incoming stormwater. Upper Goldwater Reservoir has also topped, while the city is closely monitoring Lower Goldwater Reservoir. Willow Lake Dam remains 7.5 feet below its spillway with no reported structural concerns.
The National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch for Yavapai County on Thursday, Oct. 29. The watch was in effect from Saturday evening through late Sunday night, warning of flash flooding from heavy rain on already saturated ground. All low water crossings in the city are currently closed, including those on First Street, Sixth Street, and Pleasant Valley Drive. Road closures affect Sixth Street, Sonora Drive, South Granite Street, Walden Road, and Brannen Avenue. Drivers should treat any traffic signal that is not working as a four-way stop. Granite Creek Park is also closed.
Yavapai County and the American Red Cross have opened a shelter for people displaced by floodwater at the Yavapai College Prescott Campus Gymnasium, 1100 E. Sheldon, Prescott, AZ 86301. Residents can obtain sand and sandbags at the White Spar Fire Station, the Airport Fire Station, and CAFMA Fire Station 51 at Iron Springs and Williamson Valley roads. Residents must bring their own shovels and fill their own sandbags. For non-emergency flood calls, residents can reach the Yavapai County Emergency Management phone bank at 928-442-5103.
