The City of Apache Junction will pay $4.59M for 76.54 acres of Arizona State Trust Land south of State Route 88 and north of Lost Dutchman Blvd. The City was the sole bidder in the recent land auction.
Apache Junction will construct an earthen flood control project called the Weekes Wash Regional Multi-use Detention Facility on the site to reduce flash floods and flood-related losses downstream.
The City secured $44.5M in federal funds for the development, which is currently in environmental, historic review with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The 10-square-mile Weekes Wash watershed collects rainwater during storms and sends it down the wash into Apache Junction. It only has one outlet, officials say, so all the water currently rushes across Lost Dutchman Blvd. west of Goldfield Road.
The detention facility has been in planning for years to improve floodwater management in the area. (Source)
