MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — This week, crews are wrapping up a detention basin project in a Marana neighborhood. The design helps control flooding when monsoon storms roll through.
The project is in the Willow Ridge Commons neighborhood near Cortaro Farms Road and Sandy Desert Trail. As a Marana-native, Public Works Stormwater Supervisor, Adrian Rojel, is all too familiar with what monsoon can bring.
“We found out that no matter how much you prepare, no matter how much staffing you have, no matter how much preventative maintenance you have – you’re battling Mother Nature,” he said.
However, projects like this one are helping the town prepare. It’s important to note that detention basins differ from retention basins.
“A detention basin is to help collect massive amounts of water off the roadway, help slow it down, and then send it downstream slowly to prevent scouring and erosion,” explained Rojel.
Crews spent months revitalizing two detention basins in the neighborhood.
“This area caught a lot of speed from the unusual storms from monsoon that you can’t predict,” Rojel said. “So now with this, it’s going to help provide a slowdown.”
He says the areas were covered in sediment, trees, and vegetation. Now, they’re just about ready for this year’s monsoon.
“Right now, the water is going to collect from all of my stormwater facilities that run underneath – my culverts – and help slow down the water, help raise it, then carry it over downstream, and it’ll help prevent scouring and erosion,” Rojel said.
The total cost of the project was about $675,000.
Rojel’s position was just created within the past year, but he says they will complete similar projects in the future across the town’s neighborhoods.
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
