Yuma-A mandated federal training exercise took place at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to simulate how local county, state and federal would interact with each other in case there is unusual flooding along the Colorado River.
Recently a big rain storm hit the Desert Southwest and caused lower Colorado River water levels to rise.
The beach and fishing area at Gateway Park were submerged and the boat launch at West Wetlands were also closed off.
"We have limited storage, we can be affected really quickly," Ed Virden, chief of operations and maintenance at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation-Yuma said. "Exercises like this allows us to be better prepared for actual events that occur."
The federal training exercise is mandated. From weather experts to engineers participated in the event.
Participants had to make unexpected or spontaneous decisions when reacting to an escalating flooding among the river.
No one participating in the event will be singled out or evaluated because of their decision but they will be assessed as to what went wrong or what went right.
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