Payson Roundup

A recently released study states Star Valley has more than a dozen “trouble areas” around town where flooding and erosion occurs.

At sites near Houston Creek, Goat Camp Wash and Mayfield Canyon Wash, a combination of vegetation removal, bank stabilization, channel expansion and an upstream flood control facility could combat the problem and save residents’ yards from washing away, engineering company Mountain Standard, Inc. concluded.

Engineer Andy Romance will discuss Mountain Standard’s findings at a Tuesday night work-study session at the Star Valley Baptist Church.

The town paid Mountain Standard $5,000 in February to analyze flooding solutions proposed by Star Valley’s floodwater task force.

Romance said some of the task force solutions could begin immediately, but creation of a storm water master plan would be useful for long term planning and to “better identify conceptual sizes of new facilities, individual project costs, need for right-of-way or easements and prioritization of individual projects.”

In the meantime, homeowners will continue to fix flooding on their property as needed, Romance said.

“It is believed that the established goal of improving flood control for citizens of Star Valley is obtainable,” the study states. “Careful system planning and methodical project designs should lead to a reliable storm water control system.”