Mohave Channel

Date Completed: September 2006
Cost: $11,725,000

Approximately 650 homes removed from FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas.

The Mohave Wash flowing through the Kingman area created a wide floodplain which was designated as a Special Flood Hazard Area, Zone AH. The Mohave Wash watershed drains 65 square miles to the downstream limit of a study near the Kingman Airport. Elevations range from 5,800 to 3,260 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL). The Mohave Wash runs directly through some of the most populated areas within the City of Kingman and well into one of the adjacent unincorporated areas of Mohave County and historically has caused serious damage to residential and commercial areas nearby during periods of intense flooding. These areas were isolated during flooding which severely limited emergency response. This had been occurring on a regular basis for many years and had become the focus of a major renovation project for the entire community.

The Mohave Wash Project was a joint effort between Mohave County, the City of Kingman and the Arizona Department of Transportation. It realigned and developed an efficient flood control channel with the capacity to handle the 15,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) which may be expected during a 100-year event. The cooperative effort resulted in the elimination of damage caused by flooding, as experienced in the past, and the subsequent removal of the impacted areas from the Special Flood Hazard Area. The Mohave Wash Project also took the opportunity to construct a multi-use trail system, funded by a grant, along the alignment of the new channel which connected the northern most parts of the community with the City of Kingman’s commercial and recreational areas.