FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Coconino County Emergency Operations Center Manager Wes Dison couldn’t turn away from the radar display. The county’s residents had been in an emergency flood response for three consecutive weeks. His eyes tightened, as he pointed to a storm formation approaching the center of the screen. The ground was 90 percent saturated. Even a half inch of rain could result in safety hazards and road closures. Dison had to wait out the storm before viewing areas for potential HESCO barrier placements designed to divert and mitigate flood waters. One three-foot HESCO barrier holds approximately the same amount of sand as 54 sandbags.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District transferred and arranged delivery of the HESCO barriers to support Coconino County’s flood mitigation response July 30 in Flagstaff.
“We plan to use these (barriers) in places where we are currently using concrete Jersey barriers,” Dison said. “The HESCOs can’t be easily moved once placed, but the concrete Jersey barriers can be moved. The region is out of the concrete Jersey barriers, so using the HESCOs to replace the concrete barriers will make us more flexible and responsive.”
The flooding started in Coconino County July 13, with more than nine inches of rainfall within a week’s time. In response, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency. Coconino County is the second largest county in the nation by land mass, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and Arizona Department of Economic Security, Population Statistics Unit.
The east side of Flagstaff was experiencing flash floods, heavy debris flow and flooding through the washes, which were overwhelming the banks, and flowing through residential streets and neighborhoods, said David Breitbach, Los Angeles District’s quality assurance representative assigned to the region.
“The streets were lined up with sandbags several feet high,” he said. “All I could feel was empathy for the people impacted.”
The city and county erected concrete Jersey barriers and dispersed sandbags after the first rain and initial flooding, Breitbach said; however, the second rain brought more debris and flooding, and crested above the barriers.
“The HESCO barriers could potentially be used for flood control for a long-term, sustainable solution,” he added, “thereby eliminating the need for thousands of sandbags lining neighborhood streets.”
HESCO barriers – named after the company that produces them – resemble large interlocking cardboard boxes with wire frames and are known for their structural protection. Military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan commonly use the barriers to protect personnel, equipment and buildings from incoming rockets and small arms fire. When the flood barriers are filled and connected, the structure and mesh framework create walls “capable of halting fast-moving, debris-filled flood waters,” according to the company’s website.
“Sandbags are not a long-term solution, bags deteriorate and must be constantly replaced; HESCOs would give citizens greater confidence during flooding,” Breitbach added.
The Coconino County Emergency Response is a regional group, headquartered in Flagstaff, and supported by state and local leadership.
“After 40 years of government service, I’m still amazed by what Coconino County has accomplished with small town teamwork and a caring neighbor attitude,” Dison said. “It has been amazing to watch and my honor to serve on this team.”
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