The Copper Canyon Town Council recently passed an ordinance clarifying the responsibility of landowners to maintain adequate drainage through the culverts under their private driveways that lie in the right-of-way of public roads.

The ordinance was in response to heavy rains this year which caused flooding in drainage ditches where culverts were blocked, undersized, or non-existent, according to Copper Canyon Mayor Sue Tejml.

Mayor Tejml said that Town Administrator Donna Welch and Code Enforcement Inspector Steve Koehler recently toured Copper Canyon, using a spreadsheet created by the Road Advisory Committee, which identifies culverts that are blocking drainage.

The owners of the non-compliant culverts will be sent a courtesy letter the first week in December. Citations will go out beginning December 10.