Washington Street storm drains unclogged, working

Workers this weekend finished removing silt and debris that severely clogged Carson City's storm-drain system on the west side.

Curry, Nevada and Division streets along Washington Street were reopened after workers broke through a 600-foot-long clog that had stopped up the 48-inch storm pipe.

Sandbags had been put in place to protect residents and businesses from flooding.

Whether there's a repeat depends largely upon the weather.

"We have to keep watching the weather," said Andrew Burnham, the city's development-services director.

Cooler temperatures mean less runoff from the hills. And temperatures are expected to stay cooler until late in the week, according to the National Weather Service.

Ash Canyon, from which the debris originated, is part of the area burned by the 2004 Waterfall fire. Truckloads of silt and debris were hauled away from the site of the blockage - one of the worst attributed to Waterfall fire debris, Burnham said.

Cost for the work is expected to reach $20,000, much of it in overtime for city employees, he said.

Federal funds likely won't be available to assist with the cleanup because it is happening after the fire. Burnham said the city will try to recoup some costs for the contractor brought in, Hydrotech Inc. of Fallon.

An increase in water flow started at the beginning of the month, but the strain on the system became evident May 13 and 14 as water bubbled up from drop inlets on Washington Street.

The plugged-up pipe also caused the city to take more drinking water from its wells because the water from Ash Canyon has too many impurities in it to properly treat. Long sticks and rocks as big as the workers' fists were found in the silt.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.