Sgt. Ryan Gillmore from the 777th Engineer Team directs a dump truck
Nevada Guard Soldiers are on the scene at the Moapa Band of Paiutes reservation where recent flooding damaged an earthen dam and
levee, threatening the community there.
Nearly all of the 21 Soldiers are from the Las Vegas-based 277th Engineer Haul Platoon. The domestic response to assist local authorities in shoring-up the weakened dam began Monday with four soldiers and two 20-ton dump trucks responding. The same day, the Nevada Department of Emergency Management requested additional support from the Guard, bringing the totals up to 21 Soldiers, four dump trucks, two loaders, a bulldozer, a fuel truck and three tractor trailers.
According to the National Weather service, the area is expecting heavy residual rain from hurricane Odile, which made landfall Sunday night scoring a direct hit on Cabo San Lucas on the Baja Peninsula and has issued flash flood watches for Clark County and the Moapa reservation through Thursday.
At close of operations on Sept. 15, the team had moved 5,600 tons of dirt and debris and consumed about 60 gallons of diesel fuel. The Soldiersare expected to remain on the job into Thursday. Gov. Brian Sandoval declared a state of emergency for Clark County and the reservation on Sept 8.