Maricopa County On-Call Water Resources Planning & Engineering

Recognizing the opportunity to leverage their flood management mission and infrastructure to promote water conservation, the Flood Control District of Maricopa County is demonstrating regional leadership in the stewardship of this most precious resource, water.

Spanning the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, Maricopa County is home to more than four million people. Charged with reducing flood risk while also ensuring that stormwater is utilized as a resource for the long-term benefit of people and the environment, the County’s Flood Control District turned to Biohabitats for assistance with water resources planning and engineering services.

Through an on-call contract, Biohabitats helped the District evaluate physical parameters at 62 existing flood control structures to determine their potential for the integration of large-scale water conservation, including aquifer recharge, ecological enhancement and conservation, and alternative energy development. As part of the evaluation, Biohabitats helped lead regular progress meetings with key District staff, incorporating their feedback into the process. Earlier tasks involved collecting numerous data layers, developing a geographical information system, and reviewing similar organizations and projects to serve as good examples of water conservation. Important considerations for this work were the arroyo drainages into flood district facilities, the area’s arid conditions, and future management needs.

TAGS

• Analysis+Planning
• Assessment+Monitoring
• Climate Adaptation + Resilience