Coconino News

The City of Flagstaff and the Coconino National Forest's Flagstaff Ranger District have announced the substantial completion of the Inner Basin Waterline repair project. This initiative restored a crucial water pipeline that was damaged by post-wildfire flooding from the 2022 Pipeline Fire. The pipeline supplies two to four million gallons of water daily to Flagstaff.

The project, which began in July 2023, was funded by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management at a cost of $16.1 million. The 13-mile-long Inner Basin Waterline is essential for delivering water from sources in the San Francisco Peaks to Flagstaff. Repairs were made at 45 locations along the pipeline affected by flooding, and nearby access roads were also repaired and fortified to prevent future damage.

Project partners included the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, the Coconino National Forest's Flagstaff Ranger District, Hunter Contracting, and Jacobs Engineering.

Construction for this season will conclude in October, but additional work at several sites will be necessary next field season after snowpack melts. The entire project is expected to be completed by Fall 2025. For further inquiries, contact David Pedersen at DPedersen@flagstaffaz.gov.