Flooding is rarely associated with desert regions, yet Maricopa County, Arizona, faces unique challenges posed by flash floods originating from local arroyos and monsoon season. These sudden, high-intensity flooding events can occur without warning, presenting a significant risk to communities. Recognizing the critical need for reliable flood protection, Maricopa County sought a solution that would provide round-the-clock security without requiring constant monitoring or manual intervention.
The Rawhide Wash Flood Mitigation project’s goal is to provide long-term flood protection by channelizing stormwater within the Rawhide Wash, reducing flood risk, and improving resiliency. This includes integrating an innovative flood protection system, FloodBreak automatic floodgates, that enhance the functionality of traditional flood walls and levees.
This project builds on FloodBreak’s track record of delivering flood protection solutions across Arizona, including installations for the Maricopa Sheriff’s Department, a mixed-use development in Cavasson, Rawhide, Tusayan McDonald’s and Smucker Park in Yuma.
FloodBreak supplied and installed two passive, automatic floodgates for the Scottsdale project with custom sizes, 57′-8″ x 6′-0″ and 57′-8″ x 6′ 9-5/8″.
Both gates were equipped with the optional hydraulic lift system, offering enhanced flexibility with a push button deployment. Regardless, the passive floodgates deploy automatically as water levels rise, ensuring reliable operation without the need for human intervention or power sources. The push button lift provides quick and easy operation, enabling city operators to deploy the gates during flood warnings based on weather forecasts or emergency protocols.
The installation of FloodBreak’s advanced floodgate systems in Scottsdale delivers a range of benefits:
By reducing flood risk and improving infrastructure resilience, the Rawhide Wash project serves as a model for proactive flood mitigation in desert regions. It combines advanced flood protection technology with effective channelization strategies, ensuring the safety and well-being of Scottsdale’s residents.
Here are results in the Rawhide Wash Flood Mitigation that our floodgates help deliver:
