After the Madison Fire, LA County installed a debris basin at the top of Highland Place to control and manage mud and debris flows. The structure was built by LA County, and for the past 5 years or so, LA County has managed and maintained the overall structure.
This past week, an engineer from LA County contacted Monrovia’s Public Works team to discuss the future disposition of the debris structure. LA County has given the city two options regarding the future of the debris structure, which are as follows:
- LA County will remove the structure.
- LA County will convey the structure to the city, and the city will be responsible for all operating and maintenance related costs moving forward.
The city is still trying to sort out all of the details related to this particular issue, and as part of their research, they are trying to determine if there was any arrangement or agreement that the city entered into with LA County regarding the structure. Furthermore, the city is calculating costs for managing the debris basin.
Monrovia city staff’s initial reaction to the news is that the city seriously needs to consider taking the debris basin facility over. According to the city manager’s weekly update, “It’s become a vital part of our debris management plan here in Monrovia, and of note, according to our team, there is currently around 10– 12 inches of debris behind the basin right now!”
