LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A weekend downpour left tons of debris, garbage, and discarded furniture sitting inside the Tropicana Detention Basin near Decatur Boulevard and Russell Road, but regional flood officials say the system worked as intended.
According to the Regional Flood Control District, detention basins are designed to slow hazardous floodwaters and release them gradually to keep runoff from overwhelming surrounding neighborhoods, homes, and businesses. The basins also serve a vital environmental function: trapping trash before it can wash downstream into the Las Vegas Wash and Lake Mead.
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Maintenance crews face an ongoing battle to keep flood channels and basins clear.
“It’s very often we’ll have crews that will clean out a certain segment of the conveyance system, and then as soon as they’re done cleaning it, sometimes the people are back living in the system again,” said John Tenner of the Regional Flood Control District.
District officials are urging residents to stay out of flood channels and detention basins for their own safety.
Officials are also asking the public to avoid dumping furniture, trash, yard waste, and pet waste into desert areas, channels, or street storm drains. Residents who spot clogged drains or basins are encouraged to report them so cleanup crews can prioritize maintenance.
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