City Works To Solve Flooding Problem

By Stephanie Wurtzs.wurtz@krdotv.com

PUEBLO-Nearly a year after a devastating flood in Pueblo’s Peppersauce Bottoms neighborhood, people there are still waiting for a permanent solution from the city. Residents saw even more flooding in last week’s storm. Residents say they’re frustrated with having to deal with water in their homes again and again. While the city is working to make good on any promises it made to people here last year, it comes down to time and money. “Last summer was something else,” says Jose Santiago Cornejo, “this summer, we’re a little more prepared.” After living in the neighborhood for decades, Cornejo has developed his own ways to cope with heavy rains. He put in a drain, built a wall on the north side of his property and just last week, put up sandbags. “I do it over and over again,” Cornejo says, “fix it and it comes over again.”

“Council has indicated they want to make this a priority area and we have,” says Dennis Maroney, Director of Pueblo’s Stormwater Utility, “to the degree we can, we can’t ignore the rest of the city.” The stormwater department is working on a series of projects to improve water flow and control starting upstream and continuing downstream to improve drainage in Peppersauce Bottoms. The hold up comes from the railroad. “You have to have a place to put the water, you can’t just divert the water on somebody else and what we needed was an easement from the railroad to put the water on their property,” Maroney says, “we haven’t gotten that yet.” Projects to alleviate flooding in Peppersauce Bottoms would cost the $4.5 million, but with more $100 million worth of stormwater improvements needed in Pueblo, the city has to weigh its options. “We can’t put all the money into this one area, we only have a little over $1 million a year that you generate for capital improvements and that has to be spread out over the city,” Maroney says. Cornejo’s not holding his breath. “It’s been a year now,” he says, “I haven’t seen any change.” As for this year, the city tells us $350,000 are in place for two detention ponds to the north. Maroney says he expects railroad representative to visit the project sites in the city later this week.