Las Vegas Valley flood control system held up in heavy weekend rain, but officials say some areas still need work

What happened

Heavy rain over the weekend brought flash flooding to parts of the Las Vegas Valley. Flooding was reported in Henderson and downtown, where some businesses reported water inside their buildings. Still, cities across Southern Nevada told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday that reports of infrastructure damage were minimal.

Andrew Trelease, general manager and chief engineer of the Regional Flood Control District, told the Review-Journal the outcome reflects a return on the community's long-term spending on flood control. He also said parts of the valley still need improvements.

Where the storm hit hardest

Downtown and the Arts District

Trelease said the Arts District area downtown and portions of Henderson got especially heavy rain Friday afternoon. He described the downtown rain as probably around a five-year storm, with about an inch falling in roughly an hour, and called it "Very, very intense."

One measurement near Eastern Avenue and Bonanza Road put Friday's rainfall at 0.83 inches, the Review-Journal reported. There was also a report of hail the size of ping pong balls at Sahara Avenue and Maryland Parkway.

Uneven totals across the valley

Estimates in certain spots in Boulder City, East Henderson and North Las Vegas ranged from half an inch to an inch, while the National Weather Service in Las Vegas said other areas got minimal rain. Meteorologist Samuel Meltzer said these systems can leave some parts of the valley with nothing while others "get totally washed out."

How local agencies responded

Henderson

Henderson crews handled water and debris on roads across the eastern part of the city, the Review-Journal reported. Racetrack Road was temporarily closed, and Lake Mead Parkway near Lake Las Vegas Parkway flooded and needed cleanup. The Nevada Department of Transportation helped there, and the road reopened later that night.

The city said part of the River Mountain Loop Trail is closed and that there "are two locations where the trail was completely washed away by stormwater." The Henderson Fire Department responded to four flooding-related rescues, according to the city, including one in which a person rescued from a wash later died after going into cardiac arrest. The city said its flood control infrastructure "operated as expected."

Clark County and the city of Las Vegas

Clark County said its Public Works Department received no reports of flooding or damage within the valley, though flood damage and debris were reported on roads in Laughlin, Gold Butte, Moapa Valley and just north of Bunkerville. The Clark County Fire Department responded to 10 vehicles stuck in water over the weekend, and in three cases passengers needed help getting out. More on emergency response is in our public safety coverage.

County fire also responded Friday at 2 p.m. to a swift water rescue call involving two adults and a dog in a wash near North Nellis and Winterwood boulevards. The people got out of the water and onto a nearby golf course, according to the Review-Journal.

City of Las Vegas spokesman Jace Radke said the city's storm drains and basins "performed very well." He said cleanup focused on the hardest-hit areas and clearing public right-of-way, including drain inlets that back up when blocked by debris. He named Interstate 11 at Eastern Avenue among the city's flood-prone areas.

State roads

NDOT said there were no reports of infrastructure damage on paved roadways. The agency was still conducting assessments, according to the Review-Journal.

Decades of flood control spending

Trelease said the district has completed over 722 miles of storm drains and channels and 113 detention basins. He said it has spent about $2.77 billion on regional flood control infrastructure since it began in the late 1980s, and that in neighborhoods with that infrastructure, heavy rain often passes without problems.

"It's in the areas where we don't have the infrastructure there yet that really have the biggest problems," Trelease told the Review-Journal. He said upgrades are ongoing, including a project targeting areas of Charleston Boulevard managed by the city of Las Vegas. Eight projects are under construction and another 12 are about to start across the valley. Follow more local infrastructure stories in our water section.

What to watch next

• Henderson says the washed-out River Mountain Loop Trail sections will stay closed while damage is assessed and a repair plan is developed.
• NDOT was still conducting assessments for any damage on state roads.
• The Regional Flood Control District has 12 projects about to start, in addition to eight under construction, including work on Charleston Boulevard.