PROJECT OVERVIEW
In response to New Mexico's most catastrophic forest fires, Geovert executed an emergency FEMA/USACE project in Gallinas Canyon to protect critical infrastructure and the town's water supply. The project, delivered under the US Army Corps of Engineers, required implementing debris flow protection systems across a live waterway before the arrival of monsoon rains on fire-damaged slopes.
Working within extreme time constraints due to imminent monsoon rains, the project faced additional complexity from technical installation requirements over an active waterway while maintaining continuous protection of water infrastructure. The post-fire terrain conditions and rapid deployment requirements further intensified the engineering and execution challenges.
PROJECT SOLUTION
Geovert implemented a comprehensive design-build solution incorporating multiple debris flow barriers with lateral anchor systems, utilizing specialized drilling equipment adapted for challenging terrain. The system's effectiveness was immediately validated when one barrier captured a major debris flow within an hour of completion. The solution integrated custom drilling equipment deployment, live waterway protection measures, and rapid-response barrier construction with debris management capabilities. Our agile in-field design engineering enabled adaptation to changing conditions while maintaining protection integrity throughout multiple major debris flow events.
The project demonstrated successful cross-agency collaboration between Geovert, FEMA, and the US Army Corps of Engineers, with our team's ability to build, empty, and rebuild protective structures proving crucial to maintaining continuous protection. This comprehensive approach ensured robust protection of vital water infrastructure through multiple major debris flow events, providing immediate risk mitigation during the critical post-fire period.
Gallinas Canyon Forest Fires, NM
Disaster Response
DISASTER RESPONSE, DESIGN & BUILD, DEBRIS FLOW BARRIER INSTALLATION