As the Flood Control District of Maricopa County nears completion of the first phase of the Gilbert-Chandler Area Drainage Master Study/Plan (ADMS/P) Update, we wanted to provide an update on the team’s progress and findings to date.

But first, here’s a quick refresher about the ADMS/P:

An ADMS/P is a detailed study that examines how and where water flows during storms and helps communities manage stormwater runoff. It also is a flood hazard assessment and looks at ways to protect property, infrastructure, and natural habitats affected by drainage patterns. The current Gilbert-Chandler plan, completed in 1993, doesn’t account for the dramatic changes that have reshaped the region over the past 30 years and needed to be updated.

Based on the data collected, a preliminary Hydrology and Hydraulic (H&H) model has been developed to begin to assess how and where water flows during significant storm events. The preliminary H&H model provides the study team with an approximate depiction of current flooding hazards in the study area.