Flood Channel Fences Near Harmon and McLeod Were Cut Open Again Within a Day of Being Fixed

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

FOX5 reporter Joe Vigil met with Heritage Oaks II HOA President Lenny Talarico, who walked him along the flood channel near his neighborhood. Talarico showed a new spot at University and McLeod. On one side sits flimsy fencing with a fresh hole cut through it. On the other side is newer, reinforced fencing.

"The county has been out here, this was fixed about 48 hours ago and within 24 hours of them replacing it and fixing it, it was cut open again," Talarico told FOX5. He said he appreciates the work the county is doing to improve security around the channels. The problem is that the fence keeps getting cut, and even some of the stronger, reinforced sections have been damaged.

Just down the street, Talarico showed FOX5 another problem. A lock on a reinforced gate had been broken off. With the lock gone, anyone could swing the gate open and walk right into the flood channel. "What kid is going to have to lose their life by falling in here, breaking their neck when these gates are completely non secured," Talarico said.

FOX5 also went back to Topaz and Tompkins, a spot it had covered in earlier stories. There, two holes shown in a past report had been fixed. But two other fences that were also fixed had since been cut open again. So the picture is mixed. The county is making repairs, and some of them are holding. Others are getting undone almost right away.

Neighbors are frustrated. Resident Bridgette Baysinger told FOX5 she does not like seeing the damage near her home. "I think it's ridiculous and I just don't like to look out the window and see this in my backyard," she said. Asked what should be done, Baysinger said cameras should be installed. Talarico agreed, telling FOX5 that cameras would help identify whoever is doing the cutting, and that "very quickly, those cameras will have paid for themselves because the issues will stop."

FOX5 asked Metro Police about cameras. Metro said community members can submit an Area Command Community Service Request online. Once officers get the request, they come out, look at the problem, and work on a solution. Metro said officers will often use the resources they have, such as camera towers, to deal with the issue.

Cut and damaged chain link fencing next to a concrete drainage channel near Topaz Street and Tompkins Avenue in the east Las Vegas valley

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

The biggest reason this matters is kids. Flood channels are deep, steep and made of hard concrete. A fall can hurt a child badly even when the channel is bone dry. When it rains, the danger gets much worse. The Clark County Regional Flood Control District has warned that channels are dangerous even when they are dry, and that just a few inches of fast-moving water can sweep a person away.

These particular channels sit close to schools. In its first report on Sept. 30, FOX5 noted that C.W. Woodbury Middle School is not far from Harmon and McLeod, and an elementary school is even closer to the fence holes. That day, after school let out, FOX5 saw two kids riding scooters right past a damaged fence. When FOX5 came back on Oct. 9, it saw school buses and kids around the channel after school. Parents told the station they were worried.

"Anything can happen with the hole. It's just a minute for destruction," a father named Younis Wiley told FOX5 in that Oct. 9 report. His kids attend school nearby. That one line sums up how a lot of parents in the area feel. It only takes a curious kid, a lost ball, or a dare between friends.

There is also a quality-of-life piece. People buy homes along greenbelts and channels for the open space and the view. When the fence behind your yard keeps getting cut, that view turns into a daily reminder that something is broken. Baysinger said it plainly: she does not want to look out her window and see it. Repeated damage also costs public money every time a crew comes back to fix the same section.

Last, this story is a good reminder of how local problems actually get fixed. In this case, an HOA president kept pushing, a TV station kept coming back, and the county kept responding. That kind of steady pressure is often what moves a small repair up the list.

Background and History

This is FOX5's third report on these fences in less than a month. On Sept. 30, the station said that while working on a different story, it found cut or damaged fencing around drainage areas near Harmon and McLeod. It counted at least four damaged fences around Topaz and Tompkins, each one giving easy access into the drainage spots. FOX5 said there is a lot of housing in the area, along with some schools, and that it was reaching out to find out who is responsible for repairs.

On Oct. 9, with rain in the forecast, FOX5 went back. The fencing around the channel at Topaz and Tompkins still had large holes on two sides. FOX5 saw a Clark County Public Works truck at the site and reported that Public Works is the department responsible for repairing fences like these. That evening, the county told FOX5 the repairs had been added to the Public Works job queue, though no date had been set. Officials also said other fence repairs in the area had been made Sept. 24, before FOX5 first spotted the damage.

A concrete-lined section of the Flamingo Wash in the Las Vegas valley, one of the flood channels the Regional Flood Control District has rebuilt with new metal fencing on both sides

By the Oct. 16 report, the county had fixed several spots. That is real progress. But the same sections are getting cut again, which shows that a repair alone may not be enough. That is why neighbors are now asking for cameras rather than just more fence.

The channels themselves are part of a huge flood system that protects the whole valley. FOX5 reported in June that the Regional Flood Control District is funded by a quarter-cent sales tax, and that roughly 90 percent or more of its revenue goes directly to flood-control projects. On one rebuilt stretch of the Flamingo Wash, new metal fencing was installed on both sides for security and to keep people out of the channel. In other words, fencing is a normal part of how the valley keeps people safe around these channels. When it gets cut, that safety layer is gone.

The timing matters, too. Late September brought a strong storm that we covered in our story on the wettest day since February. When heavy rain hits, water moves fast through these channels. A News 3 report in July quoted the flood district saying that floodwater can move really quickly, and that just a few inches of moving water can sweep a person away. An open fence next to a channel is a much bigger risk on a rainy day.

Stormwater rushing through a Las Vegas valley flood channel, the kind of fast-moving water the Regional Flood Control District warns can sweep a person away

That same News 3 report noted that nine people have died in flood-related incidents in the Las Vegas Valley since 2020. Not every one of those cases involved a channel, and none of them are tied to this neighborhood. But the number is a sober reminder of why flood officials keep repeating the same message: stay out of the channels and washes, rain or shine.

What Happens Next

For now, the county is still making repairs and the HOA is still watching. The big open question is whether cameras come next. Metro has said its officers will evaluate service requests and often use camera towers to deal with problems like this. If neighbors file those requests, that could be the next step.

Expect the cycle to continue until something changes the pattern. Fixing a fence one day and finding it cut the next is costly and frustrating for everyone. Stronger fencing, better locks on gates, and some kind of monitoring are the ideas on the table based on what neighbors and police have said so far.

Keep an eye on the weather as well. Any time rain is in the forecast, open holes along a channel become a bigger concern. If you live near this area, check the fence line near your home before and after storms, and report damage right away.

There is also a bigger lesson here for neighborhoods all over the valley. Harmon and McLeod is not the only place where homes sit right next to a flood channel. From the east valley to Henderson to the southwest, channels and washes run behind a lot of backyards. If this neighborhood finds a fix that works, like cameras, tougher gates, or a faster repair process, it could become a model for other HOAs dealing with the same thing.

Ryan's Take

I help a lot of people buy homes that back up to washes, channels and greenbelts across the valley. Those lots can be great. You get more open space, fewer neighbors looking into your yard, and sometimes a better view. But I always tell buyers to walk the fence line and look at what is on the other side. A secure, well-kept channel is one thing. A channel with holes in the fence and a gate that does not lock is a different situation, especially for a family with young kids or a dog.

This story also shows the value of a strong HOA. Lenny Talarico did exactly what good HOA leaders do. He tracked the problem, kept the pressure on, and worked with the county and the media. If you are shopping for a home, ask how active the HOA is and how it handles safety issues like this. A board that shows up can make a real difference in how a neighborhood feels day to day, and that matters when it comes time to sell.

Close-up of a hole cut through a chain link fence, similar to the damage neighbors keep finding along flood channel fencing in the east valley

What You Can Do

If you see a cut fence or a broken gate along a flood channel, report it. FOX5 reported that Clark County Public Works handles repairs on fences like these, so reach out to the county with the exact cross streets and, if you can, a photo. If the damage keeps coming back, file an Area Command Community Service Request on the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department website. Metro says officers will come out, evaluate the issue and look for a fix, which can include camera towers.

Talk to your kids. Tell them that flood channels are off limits, even when they look dry and even if there is a hole in the fence. Remind them never to go after a ball or a pet that ends up in a channel, and to get an adult instead. The flood district has warned that a few inches of fast water can sweep a person away, so the rule matters most on rainy days.

Work through your HOA. If you live in a community with a board, let it know what you see. One report from one neighbor is easy to miss. A board that collects reports and pushes them to the county, the way Heritage Oaks II has, gets a lot more attention. And if you do not have an HOA, a group of neighbors filing the same request can have a similar effect.

Know what to look for. When you walk your street, check for gaps at the bottom of the fence, cuts along the posts, bent sections, and gates that swing open without a key. Take a photo, note the nearest cross streets, and write down the date. A short, clear report with a picture is much easier for a crew to act on than a general complaint. If you see the same spot cut again after a repair, say so in your report. That pattern is exactly what Metro and the county need to know about.

Finally, stay safe yourself. Do not try to patch a channel fence on your own or go into the channel to look around. Leave repairs to the county, and let police handle anyone you see cutting the fence.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime. Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | 702-747-5921 | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com