Flood Control District to dissolve

After 65 years, it’s the end of an era for the Maricopa Flood Control District.

The MFCD board’s members confirmed earlier this month they will begin the process of the dissolving the district next year as the city takes over flood control responsibilities.

Board members approved the decision to pursue dissolution in September and reviewed a transition plan in the works with city officials during their Nov. 2 meeting. The board discussed some of the overlapping easements and dissolution in late 2024.

District Manager David Alley said discussions began with city officials about two years ago over efficiency.

“The city looks at this is its outgrown the need for a rural flood district,” he said. “They believe they can take it over and run it more efficiently than we can.”

Alley said while the board is concerned whether the city will prioritize maintenance, it possesses more resources for cleanup and repairs.

“They’re probably in a better place to do that kind of thing than we are,” he said.

That includes access to funding and equipment. When Alley began working for the district in 2010, he said it was a long process to clean up washes.

“The farmers took care of the channels for a long, long time, but they were still in a poor state of repair,” he said. “At the time, we just tried to repair a mile per year because that’s what we could afford. Over time, as the town and tax income grew, we could do more of that. Today, all the channels are in really good shape.”

MFCD works to manage floodwater drainage in Maricopa, overseeing maintenance projects in washes and floodplains, especially the Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz channels.

Local farmers John E. Smith, William A. Dunn and E.J. Farrell formed the district in 1958 and also served as its first elected board members.

Currently, the board consists of two members: Brad Hinton and Rod Campbell.

It has been operating without a president since Dan Frank ended his eight-year tenure in February. Last month, MFCD asked Pinal County to cancel future elections.

Editor’s note: According to MFCD’s official channels, there are two board members and no president. After this story published, the district informed us there are three members, including a president: Brad Hinton, Rod Campbell and Scott Kelly.