Indio receives grant for storm drain project

The city of Indio has been awarded a $4,114,572 grant from the California Natural Resources Agency for the City’s Civic Center Storm Drain Project. This funding comes from the Urban Flood Protection (UFP) Grant Program. Projects had to offer a mix of traditional and green infrastructure solutions to prevent flooding and flood damage in order to be considered for the funding.

Indio’s project area currently has no existing storm drain. The project would build a storm drain mainline on Requa Avenue from Oasis Street to Jackson Street, which will interconnect storm drain laterals from Downtown streets. This will connect to an underground retention system within the green belt area between Jackson Street and Marshall Street (Marshall Parkway).

The project will also convert Marshall Parkway to a “Green Streets design” with a drainage swale, and will include plants and nearly 90 new trees. An additional 100 trees will be planted throughout the project site with rain gardens along Oasis Street, Smurr Street, and Requa Avenue. This landscaping will help capture stormwater and allow for natural filtration processes to improve stormwater quality before entering the City’s drainage and groundwater recharge system.

“In addition to the significant improvement in flood prevention, this project will support the city’s efforts to make Downtown a more vibrant and pedestrian friendly place for people to gather,” said Mayor Elaine Holmes. “I am grateful to City staff for their hard work in obtaining this generous funding from the state.”

Indio will have approximately three years to complete the project, with design taking place in 2022 and construction shortly thereafter.