Monday, July 14, 2008- Newschannel 9 has uncovered details of a failed stormwater project along Mesa Hills.  The City of El Paso says the damage was unexpected.  The ground around a concrete drain on Mesa Hills literally washed away during last weeks flooding.

"The concrete apron off of Mesa Hills was intended to be a secondary outflow should any inlets block up or should there be any more water than expected through upstream diversion of any kind."  says Sam Rodriguez with the City Engineering Department.

That is exactly what happened as the main system backed up.  Engineers say there was simply too much water for the secondary drain to handle, so it spilled over the sides, eating a six foot trench in the ground.  The city finished the 1.6 million dollar stormwater project along Mesa Hills earlier this year.  The project was designed to keep Mesa Hills from flooding or washing away.

Now, city engineers must figure out how to keep this secondary area from being damaged the next time it rains.  Workers will fill in the dirt that eroded away.  Engineers also tell Newschannel 9 that expanding the concrete slab around the runoff area may be a longterm solution.