Murray engineering staff outline $71 million storm‑drainage master plan update

City engineering staff and outside consultants presented an update to Murray’s storm drainage master plan, describing how new hydrology modeling and coordination with city crews produced a prioritized capital-improvement program.

“Make sure… we have a grand total here of $71,000,000 for all those projects,” the consultant said, describing the program-level estimate and a near-term five‑year subtotal of $3,100,000. Staff said the program ties model-identified deficiencies to projects the crews have observed in the field, and that many earlier problems were addressed since the 2019 plan.

Travis Neely, an engineering department presenter, walked council through seven completed projects—from Guadalupe Meadows Drive to detention ponds behind the Public Works campus—and explained how the current update maps sub‑basins, pairs conveyance inventories with modeled flows, and flags pipes that modeling shows are undersized. He described the city’s approach to sizing and alternatives: detention ponds versus upsizing pipes, and prioritizing projects where both model and crew experience indicate flooding.

Council members asked whether canal companies can be used as stormwater outlets; presenters said canal boards increasingly refuse capacity because of liability and irrigation flow schedules. Staff also described a discovered 72‑inch Salt Lake County pipe that may allow lower-cost future connections on Murray’s east side.

No formal action was required at the presentation; staff said the prioritized projects will be used in future budgeting and grant requests.