In August 2006, 6 inches of rain fell in El Paso, a city averaging only 9 inches a year. A natural disaster was declared with the most-severe flooding on the west side of the Franklin Mountains causing catastrophic multi-million dollar damage.  Many residences, businesses, roadways and utilities were destroyed by high-velocity runoff and massive debris flows containing large diameter mountainous boulders. 

The watershed extends from the peaks of the Franklin Mountains at an elevation of 6,000’ down to the Rio Grande River at an elevation of 3700’. Design elements included desilting basins and drop chutes to trap sediment, silt, and debris flows and structural concrete channels to convey high-velocity flows. Minimizing construction impacts to the natural foothills and arroyos while working within constrained urbanized area-ways were all challenges met by the design of the  $13 million Westside Project. Sustainable design concepts   included: low-water consumption landscaping using reclaimed water; and screening and reusing existing site materials.

The Westside Flood Damage Improvements Project was designed by

Moreno-Cardenas based in El Paso, Texas. This project was a gold medal winner

in the 2010 ACEC Texas Engineering Excellence Awards Competition.