Airfield Drainage Improvements

Project Rationale

The current drainage system is now inside the Runway Safety Area (RSA), causing a safety and standards concern. Furthermore, the drainage system no longer adequately removes water from the airfield, allowing water to pool rather than flow.

An award-winning Drainage Master Plan and Water Use Study was completed in 2018 by Dibble Associates. This study informed the decision making and design of our updated drainage system.

Design Phase

Stantec is the engineer of record for this project. The project will require us to remove several culverts and headwalls, and then install new culverts and headwalls outside of the RSA. We will also install new drainage parallel to Taxiway P to prevent water from further damaging the taxiway. All rainwater will be diverted into a channel and deposited into “Rain Tank,” a small reservoir made by a rancher back in the 1930s. The red lines in the photo are a very rough approximation of the culvert and pipe locations.

Construction Phase

ADOT is currently in the process of putting this project out to bid. Construction will likely begin shortly after Labor Day. Please check back here for project updates.

What to expect

Because this project is adjacent to the runway, the runway will be narrowed to 75 feet from its current 150 feet. Furthermore, there will be a three-day closure in late September or October as we make the necessary adjustments to ensure safe air navigation.

Project Cost

Design: $475,000

Construction: Engineer’s estimate is $2,000,0000

Project will be 91.06% funded by an Airport Improvement Program grant from the FAA, with the remaining 8.94% coming from the State Aviation Fund, managed by the ADOT Aeronautics Group.