Input sought on Scotty’s Castle flood recovery

Officials from Death Valley National Park will hold meetings to get public input into plans to repair flood damage at Scotty’s Castle.

Park superintendent Mike Reynolds will host public meetings to discuss flood recovery efforts to date and proposed actions, officials said in a news release. The public is encouraged to ask questions and share their opinions.

Scotty’s Castle, one of Death Valley’s renowned landmarks, was damaged by a flash flood on Oct. 18, 2015. About three inches of rain that fell in five hours caused catastrophic flooding that damaged historic buildings, roads, walkways, and utilities in the historic district.

Scotty’s Castle is currently closed to the public except for a limited number of public tours focusing on the flood and recovery efforts. Death Valley Natural History Association will announce the fall tour dates later this summer.

The public can comment at a scheduled meeting, online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/deva or by mail. Comments should be mailed to Death Valley National Park, ATTN: Scotty’s Castle Flood Rehabilitation, P.O. Box 579, Death Valley, CA 92328.

Commenters should be aware that their entire comment – including personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time, officials said in a press release.

While commenters can ask that their personal identifying information be withheld from public review, the NPS cannot guarantee that this will be possible.

Comments received by May 18 will be used to help define the issues and concerns to be addressed in the Environmental Assessment and to analyze alternatives, officials said.

Contact reporter Daria Sokolova at dsokolova@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @dariasokolova77