New gauges to help Arizona canyon evacs

HAVASUPAI, Ariz., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Arizona's Havasupai American Indian tribe has completed the installation of flood warning gauges to allow more time for canyon evacuations, officials said.

The move was made after a wall of water roared through the Havasupai village and campground near the Grand Canyon Aug. 17, forcing the evacuation of more than 250 tourists and tribal members who had to be airlifted out of the remote area, The Arizona Republic reported Monday.

Now, with the installation of the gauges, tribal members won't have to rely on just their senses to serve as a flood warning, officials with Arizona's Department of Water Resources said.

"Historically speaking, this was not that large (a flood), and they got off pretty lucky in the amount of warning time they had," department engineering manager Michael Johnson told the Republic. "If that same storm had been centered more northerly within the watershed, they would have got hit much, much faster."

The newspaper said the flood gauges cost $60,000 to install and $30,000 a year to maintain. They are a collaborative effort between the state, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Department of Homeland Security.