Nevada Senator Harry Reid announced today that Clark County has received $1.5 million from the Department of Transportation under their emergency relief program because of the extreme flooding last week on Interstate 15. These funds will be used for the repair or reconstruction as a result of the more than three inches of rain that fell in little over an hour. Eligible repair work on the interstate includes emergency repairs needed to restore essential traffic, minimize the extent of damage, or protect the remaining facilities as well as permanent repairs necessary to restore the highway to its pre-disaster condition.

“Last week, southern Nevada saw unprecedented rain that was detrimental to the entire region,” said Senator Reid. “These funds will be necessary to repair I-15 so that this major artery can be restored and the economic activity that centers around this interstate can continue. Hopefully this grant is sufficient but if it is not I will work with the Department of Transportation to secure further funds.”

Extreme flooding on September 8, 2014 was caused by a rain event brought onshore from Hurricane Norbert. More than three inches of rain fell in a little over an hour in the general area of Moapa Valley affecting the northeast portion of Clark County-Moapa Tribe, Glendale, Overton, Logandale, and other areas. The flash flooding overtopped the roadways, washed out lanes, and severely eroded the median of I-15 to depths of 12 to 20 feet. The greatest damage was on I-15 from the US 93 interchange to Mesquite with the most severe damage from mile marker 91 to mile marker 93 with a total loss of the southbound lanes and most of the northbound lanes. Other damage includes shoulder erosion and loss or undermining of culverts.