Formation of the District

Pima County Flood Control District was formed as a result of Arizona State legislation passed in 1978. Spurred by a disastrous flood event on the Salt River in the Phoenix metropolitan area, the 1978 legislation mandated that flood control districts be established in all Arizona counties.

The Districts were set up to be aligned with county boundaries, and the county Boards of Supervisors were designated as the governing body for the Districts. To pay for the expense of building, maintaining and administering their flood control systems, the Districts were designated as special taxing authorities with the power to levy secondary property taxes on all parcels within their jurisdiction-- not just properties with identified flood risks. In this way the entire community participates in resolving its regional flood control needs.

Modifications to the legislation were made in 1984, primarily to clarify regulatory roles between the Districts and incorporated areas located within them. One of the main provisions of the 1984 legislation was that incorporated jurisdictions were given the opportunity to opt out of the District and administer their own floodplain management regulations. Today, all five of the incorporated jurisdictions in Pima County enforce their own floodplain management regulations. The District continues to focus on its regional flood control responsibilities including: constructing major flood control facilities, purchasing flood- and erosion-prone land, operating the community's flood warning system, as well as providing floodplain management activities for all unincorporated county areas. Here's a short list of the purposes, powers and duties of flood control districts paraphrased from state enabling legislation.