Magma Flood Retarding Structure

Rehabilitation Fact Sheet

Project Name: Magma Flood Retarding Structure (FRS)

Sponsors:

1. Magma Flood Control District
2. Florence-Coolidge Natural Resource Conservation District

Project Location: Pinal County, Arizona

Authorization: Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, Public Law 83-566, as amended, and Public Law 106-472, Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 2000.

Project Summary:

The Magma Flood Retarding Structure (FRS) was originally constructed by the Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service–NRCS) in 1964. It is currently operated and maintained by the Magma Flood Control District (FCD). The 5.5-mile-long earthen structure provides flood protection to unincorporated areas of northern Pinal County, including residents, streets and highways, residential properties, and Prime Farmland.

The FRS has known inadequacies in emergency spillway capacity and transverse cracks in the embankment. To address these issues, the Magma FCD is currently developing rehabilitation plans and designs. The plans/designs will call for rehabilitation of the Magma FRS to provide for continued flood protection while meeting current safety and performance standards.

The Dam Rehabilitation Program administered by NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to help local Sponsors rehabilitate aging dams that were originally constructed with NRCS Watershed Program assistance. NRCS, Sponsors, and the Arizona Dam Safety Office are currently working on nine high priority dams needing rehabilitation. In order to receive federal funds for dam rehabilitation, local Sponsors must provide 35 percent of the total project costs.

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