GILBERT — Several rounds of rain soaked the East Valley over the weekend, but the town of Gilbert reported no flooding incidents, thanks in part to parks built to double as stormwater basins, ABC15 reported.
Parks including Freestone, Crossroads and Desert Sky are part of Gilbert’s stormwater management system. They collect and hold excess rainwater, protecting nearby homes and businesses, according to the town.
Gilbert also runs four stormwater pump stations at Freestone Park, Crossroads Park, Vaughn Retention Basin and Village II Park. The stations move extra water through the drainage system to lower the risk of flooding.
Town officials told ABC15 that crews do preventive maintenance on the pump stations twice a year and use cameras and drones to inspect stormwater infrastructure. Without that work, officials said, water could back up into streets, neighborhoods and businesses.
“We love the Gilbert Parks. They’re always well maintained and I feel like the city does a great job of planning out … the flood irrigation and protecting the homes and communities surrounding the parks,” parkgoer Elizabeth Ramos said.
Flood control also shapes new park construction. At a September Town Council meeting, officials discussed how delaying work at Gilbert Regional Park could require extra construction to meet flood-control standards, ABC15 reported.
Officials said the year-round maintenance helps keep the system ready for future storms.
Sources: ABC15. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Sripathroy / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
