With flash flood season upon us, officials are reminding the public that trash and debris left on streets, sidewalks and in desert areas can get washed into storm drains and flood control channels and wind up in Lake Mead, the source of the community’s drinking water. Flash floods occur most often in Southern Nevada from July through September during monsoon season.
Simple activities such as putting lids on trash bins or knowing where to report illegal dumping sites can go a long way toward keeping the Las Vegas Valley clean. A handout offering tips and various resources in the community called “Keep Clark County Clean” is posted on the County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability’s website pages at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov.
“We all need to do our part to keep our community clean and protect Lake Mead,” said Clark County Commission Chairman Jim Gibson, whose Commission District G in the southeast valley includes Clark County Wetlands Park, which often gets particularly hard-hit during storms. “Some simple actions such as picking up after your pets and keeping your car maintained so oil doesn’t leak into our storm drains can have a big impact on the health and beauty of our community.”
“Litter and illegal dumping issues often get worse when it rains in our valley because debris gets washed into the local flood control network and ends up polluting low-lying areas,” said Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones, vice-chair of the Regional Flood Control District. “With a population of more than two million people, debris left on streets or in desert areas can certainly add up and impact our quality of life.”
Clark County spends millions of dollars a year cleaning up streets, parks and flood control channels. When it rains, debris left in public areas can plug inlets and drains in curbs and sidewalks and add to neighborhood flooding issue and clean-up costs. Residents living in unincorporated County areas can report plugged inlets and storm drains to the Public Works Department at (702) 455-6000 or online through FixIt Clark County: https://tinyurl.com/4s4p9pu6. Reports in other jurisdictions can be made to the Regional Flood Control District at www.regionalflood.org or (702) 685-0000.
In addition to the Clark County Regional Flood Control District, other partners in the Keep Clark County Clean effort include the Clark County Water Reclamation District, Republic Services, Southern Nevada Health District, Las Vegas Valley Water District, and Get Outdoors Nevada. Clark County regularly partners with Get Outdoors Nevada and other groups to host cleanups at locations throughout the Las Vegas Valley. A list of upcoming cleanups is posted on the organization’s website at www.getoutdoorsnevada.org/events/.
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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.3 million citizens and 45.6 million visitors a year (2019). Included are the nation’s 7th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.