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control in Scottsdale was dramatically evident. Following this event, city government and residents agreed to approve the Indian Bend Wash project. The City Council called a special flood control bond election in April, 1973 and voters were asked to approve the sale of $10 mil- lion in general obligation bonds to finance flood control and storm drain projects. The bonds were approved by a margin of seven to one. The project began in 1971 ,md was completed in 1999. The project protects an extensively developed residential area along Indian Hend Wash in ,md adjacent to Scottsdale and Tempe, and an area zoned mainly for light industrial development in Tempe. The project provides protection against floods up to the "I % chance flood event'" or 30,000 cubic feet per second. TIle flood of record is 22,000 cubic feet per second, which occurred in June 1972. Today, the City of Scottsdale encompasses 184.5 square miles and enjoys a population of over 208,000 residents. The vision of tile plan- ners for a linear park in the Wash rather than a concrete channel paved the way for the development that Scottsdale currentiy enjoys. The Indian Bend Wash Greenhelt runs the lengtil of the city, 7.5 miles long, and is a system.of parks, lakes and golf courses. High-end apart- ment complexes, attractive shopping centers and resorts line the slopes of the once dangerous wash. Scottsdale has made the Indian Wash greenhelt an integral part of its outdoor lifestyle. Due to the City's linear shape, about 80 percent of Scottsdale's citizens are within walk- ing distance of the Wash. Estimates are titat one million people make use of the greenbelt annually. The Wash has attracted high-priced homes, condominiums and apartments, as well as businesses that thrive on the traffic generated around and through the arC'J. Benefits: Indian Bend Wash . The project will prevent damages estimated at about $50.3 million (1999 dollars), if the "1% chance flood'" should occur. . The average annual flood damages prevented would be $6.42 million (1999 dollars). . The greenbelt has added to the tax base nlther than continuing as a liability. . The average annual benefits from area redevelopment are about $1.12 million (1999 dollars). Improvement of quality of life has attract- ed high-end housing developments, continuing the increase of property values. · . Large and small businesses beoefit from traffic generated through area. f . The USACE estimates the average annual benefits from recreational facililies at $5.74 million (1999 dollars). TIle attractive recreation- al area due to multi-use of land and surroundings is responsible for this beoefit. . Annual events held on the park grounds also add to the tax base. Local festivals such as the Festival of Nations draw people and tax dol- lars from tourists and surrouoding cities. . "Indian Bend W'l>;h is what people point to when they talk about quality of life in Scottsdale," says Dave Rodetique, Economic Developer for the City. "We can't put a dollar value on the impact it's had, but Indian Hend Wash is one reason we attract higher end businesses and homes. " " l Costs and Funding Sources. Indian Bend Wash Total Project Cost = $55.5 lnillion . lISACE prO\ided funding for design and construction = $29 million . The City of Scottsdale provided funding for greenbelt development = $ 14 million . FCDMC provided the funding for the purchase of land rights, building bridges and relocating utilities = $12.5 million . The cost and sponsorship of the project is shared, "ith tile FWMC as the local flood control sponsor and the City of Scottsdale as the recreation sponsor. The sharing of the project cost, construction and maintenance by these agencies exemplifies how federal, county and city interest, can join together to make a community more livable and sustainable. Project Description: Cassandra Wash Dam The City of Wickenhurg lies perilously close to two major washes, Sol's Wash and Cassandro Wash. North Wickenburg is home to 100 families that are in the middle-low income group. These residences were in the floodway of C'Lssandro Wash which is the oldest part of the city. The Wash out-failed to two residential streets before ending at Sol's Wash. The community experienced severe flooding many times, and one time, water was su deep in the streets that emergency vehicles cuuld not pass through. The City of Wickenburg worked with FEMA to examine solutions for removing the homes of North Wickenburg from the floodplain. As a result, the city teamed ,vith the FCDMC to build the Cassandro Wash Dam. The dam was built to alleviate flooding of homes on the Cassandro Wash and to allow future development of the property. The town ha, desig- nated the area downstream of the dam within the banks of the natural wash a "no build 6 / Mitigation Success Stories / Arizona Residents of Wickenburg watch the floodwaters of Sol's Wash at US Highways 98/93 during the October storm.