City outlines $890,000 in Yavapai Flood District funds for local drainage projects, including Dexter neighborhood work

The City of Prescott reported to the City Council on Sept. 23 that it has identified four drainage projects to seek funding from the Yavapai County Flood Control District and that it expects to receive $890,000 to use for design and construction of local flood-control work.

Bridal Reese, the city’s Water Resources Manager, told council members the $890,000 is provided by the regional flood control district and is intended for design and construction of stormwater and drainage projects identified by the city. She outlined four projects the city has prioritized: Double D drainage improvements (complex hillside drainage from D D Road), Yavapai Hills/Hornet Drive drainage fixes (three distinct locations with high-velocity flow), Dexter neighborhood flood improvements and periodic localized drainage repairs tied to roadway projects.

Reese said the Yavapai Hills/Hornet Drive project is at roughly 100% design and likely will consume a substantial portion of the district funds this year. The Double D project is complex due to steep topography and is being advanced toward a 60% design with the goal of reaching final design for bidding. She said the Dexter neighborhood has longstanding flood problems caused by multiple runoff sources—including runoff from Whipple Street and hillside flows—that have, in past storm events, carried water into homes.

For the Dexter work, Reese said the city hired a consultant who evaluated seven or eight alternatives, from upsizing storm drains on Whipple Street and localized storm-drain improvements within neighborhood streets to reductions in vegetation in local creek channels. Because a full ‘100‑year’ design would be expensive, city staff told council they have asked the consultant to identify top two to three alternatives that provide the most benefit for storms in the 10- to 25-year range to deliver more immediate relief.

Councilman Patrick Grady asked for additional information on timing and specifics for the Dexter work; Reese said the plan is to use the regional funds to design projects that provide the best immediate relief and then seek additional funds and further perimeter improvements as funding allows.

Why it matters: the Dexter neighborhood has repeatedly experienced flooding; the city is prioritizing a mix of near-term and longer-term approaches rather than a single expensive, large-scale reconstruction. The $890,000 in district funding can support designs and some construction, but Reese cautioned that comprehensive 100-year flood-protection work would be much more expensive.

The council later approved a related resolution and contract (Resolution 2025-41949; City Contract 2026-107) to accept and use district funding; that item passed 6-0.