[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6455015,"mediaKeyId","5856827-b88fb8de4ce12cb644e52fa6ba65e063","parentId",5856827,"title","Cochise County uses high‑resolution Flow2D modeling to target Wilcox Basin recharge sites","audioSeconds",1750,"startMs",128000,"endMs",1878000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5856827-b88fb8de4ce12cb644e52fa6ba65e063&start=128&end=1878","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5856827-b88fb8de4ce12cb644e52fa6ba65e063/thumbnail_128000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6455015/Cochise-County/Arizona/Cochise-County-uses-highresolution-Flow2D-modeling-to-target-Wilcox-Basin-recharge-sites","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455015-1a357a56d79f5213d25405c7e1244a1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770640351&Signature=Lq29bX94hbfnXSJGEqv~Cc~Xy0EDKlaW2BjY0IY0vU2vvB5u5RsyAYo9TQlWvnbtarmgEkJjJTokGnkEbtVj-tnRTsqUQ~5eQhv2CsqvxRGu8GUPV1EMbMaFKLpugYHRQxGhY68wEoDjG7fTTzVn-GcO8KSCi~t6cHmmkvmZGbWC9HPEj36kN3yVCdRucq-Vtnr2fkryD9jX6iaUz-Sm1Vc0zKzPIIxqdBr1YPtZnyo70bgqTD1N4IM7N2mDEhF1~eoCHnvnUoDAgpKEbL2HUTlk64pOCXNTxKHm2m8THN1KyEknZfq9~1pyGCWAc825OoKA9Q6B~LW~8eSW4MIX8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cochise County","date","2025-09-30T19:10:35Z","article","Cochise County Flood Control District staff and their consultants presented results of a Flow2D hydrology and hydraulics modeling effort and a GIS suitability screening that together aim to identify locations in the Wilcox Basin suited for managed aquifer recharge and flood mitigation.

The work session on Tuesday, Sept. 30, included a technical briefing from Sai Miller, an engineer with J.E. Fuller Hydrology & Geomorphology, and a follow‑up screening study from Lindsey Bunting of Geosystems Analysis (GSA). Miller said the study area covers about 1,700 square miles that drain to the Wilcox playa and that the modeling effort divided that area into 13 linked models run on 40‑by‑40‑foot grid cells. \"Flow2d essentially breaks up the terrain into a gridded mesh of square cells,\" Miller said, describing how the model routes runoff across cells and captures depths and velocities across the basin.

Miller said the team simulated a standard 100‑year, 24‑hour design storm using a type‑2 temporal distribution and ran verification tests against U.S. Geological Survey regression estimates. The modeling produces depth maps and hydrographs across the grid; Miller noted peak discharges in some cross sections approached tens of thousands of cubic feet per second in the larger drainages (the presentation cited a bottom‑left cross section with a peak near 27,000 cfs). He also said computation time for the full cascade of models was roughly a week on current hardware.

GSA's screening layered the Flow2D outputs with near‑surface and subsurface datasets — NRCS soil permeability for the top six feet, ADWR groundwater model drawdown contours, land use, and other variables — and scored 160‑acre parcels using a weighted ranking system to identify where captured runoff is likely to infiltrate to the aquifer. \"Our goal at GSA specifically was to identify areas suitable for recharge,\" Lindsey Bunting said. The screening yielded a set of highly ranked parcels concentrated along major alluvial drainages such as Turkey Creek and Ash Creek; Bunting reported 18 full sections received the maximum suitability score in the screening.

County staff framed the modeling and screening as a pre‑feasibility step. Watkins, a Flood Control District staff member leading the county's program updates, told the board the modeling is intended to \"analyze locations that will dual purpose recharge and flood control in the Wilcox Basin\" and said the county will use the results to prioritize on‑the‑ground projects and to refine permitting and engineering work.

Consultants and staff said next steps include stakeholder outreach and targeted site investigations for a subset of candidate sites. Bunting said the project team will pursue a second, more detailed phase for up to five to eight sites that clears remaining data gaps — notably vadose‑zone and deeper subsurface data — and will use field methods such as geophysics, test pits and boreholes to confirm infiltration capacity before engineering design. She also said the screening intentionally ranked parcels that show continuous, high‑depth flow in Flow2D (for example, areas where more than 10% of a parcel holds more than 1.5 feet of depth in the 100‑year event) to avoid false positives from isolated depressions.

Board members raised jurisdictional and legal questions about basins that cross county lines; Supervisor Crosby (District 1) asked whether collecting water for recharge could trigger inter‑basin adjudication issues. Miller replied, \"This watershed...does not go into the Gila River,\" noting the Wilcox and Sulphur Springs basins are closed to the Gila system. Staff also noted that groundwater basin boundaries (as mapped by the Arizona Department of Water Resources) do not always match surface divides, and that ADWR datasets will be part of the more detailed work.

Watkins and consultants emphasized limitations and the need for field confirmation. Bunting said some data are not yet available uniformly across the basin (notably vadose‑zone logs) and that field reconnaissance is required to rule out fatal flaws. County staff said identified candidate parcels and landowner interest will determine how many sites move forward.

The county said the modeling and screening may also be useful to county engineers in making permit and design determinations, and noted the outputs could inform refinements to Special Flood Hazard Areas where Flow2D depth mapping and FEMA flood zone maps diverge. The consultants and staff described the work as a planning and prioritization step; no formal action or vote was taken during the work session.

Looking ahead, staff said they will pursue stakeholder engagement (landowners and Natural Resource Conservation Districts), refine candidate sites for detailed investigation, and seek funding and partnerships to carry sites through design and construction.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","20250930 Flood Control District Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","County staff and consultants presented a week‑long, high‑resolution Flow2D hydrology and hydraulics model of the 1,700‑square‑mile Wilcox Basin and a GIS screening that identified 18 high‑priority sections for managed aquifer recharge; staff said the work will guide site‑level investigations and project design.","taxTitle","Cochise County, Arizona","taxId",27859,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6455011,"Flood Control work session: gabion/check‑dam planning, Coyote Wash bid, Bay Acres and other project updates",71,2859000,2930000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5856827-b88fb8de4ce12cb644e52fa6ba65e063&start=2859&end=2930","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5856827-b88fb8de4ce12cb644e52fa6ba65e063/thumbnail_2859000.jpg","/articles/6455011/Cochise-County/Arizona/Flood-Control-work-session-gabioncheckdam-planning-Coyote-Wash-bid-Bay-Acres-and-other-project-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455011-806b5a5117bae0eeb39d7fa332b8c3fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770640351&Signature=nLjOp7GrFySzXbJTNe1ThiHIJih7j6sKVy1GDBW7x0wMFuVIdE7O-mjjkFfQHitFC4j4nBe-5iwlA1XRpSLGwzGpwdyNTf9vegTc~irbACWV9U~AbiKB2b4tTB2VQkEWI08A-PMYC1ZEcyniv0p0wvtepuqA8c27-DVVZxXS6BqziAxye-f9BN2aYAp~vy06DFzFXHtHgamu0UOzi6pCzB6dy-TVAk6WYWsComwQ6XMTORjqNesDqmMEqDIF9LH4xUSdLpyVc28Ez8cDOeUvK3XWsd-d7v9gLAHX8d4O9qKYEC1bENIeo-TaY2xwFzIqwI7b8Su87B5BKZjQR5Rw~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Sept. 30 Flood Control District work session, Cochise County staff reviewed a series of implementation and near‑term construction updates, including gabion/check‑dam planning, a procurement update on Coyote Wash, Bay Acres design progress, and multiple watershed studies.

Watkins, a Flood Control District staff member, said county staff have been coordinating with the four county Natural Resource Conservation Districts (NRCDs) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on gabion and rock check‑dam work intended to slow erosion, promote infiltration and protect bridges. The county has a tentative meeting with all four NRCDs on Oct. 20 to identify specific gabion locations and coordinate partnerships. For Turkey Creek, staff said the San Simon NRCD secured a WIFRA grant of $562,000 with a Flood Control District match of $250,000 to fund a grade control structure intended to protect a bridge on Turkey Creek.

Watkins described gabion materials and construction: gabion baskets allow use of smaller on‑site rock where velocities permit, but larger boulders must be trucked in for high‑velocity locations. \"With the gabions, you can use smaller rock because the gabions as long as the rock can't get through the wire,\" Watkins said.

Staff reported the county opened bids for the Coyote Wash project the previous week and said the apparent low bidder came in at just over $5.5 million, about $3.3 million lower than the county's internal estimate. The county said the apparent low bidder will be presented to the board next week and, if approved, construction would begin in November with roller‑compacted concrete work for the outlet structure and an inlet diversion channel expected in December.

On Bay Acres, Watkins said design work is underway and that 30–60% plans will be completed by the end of the calendar year. The presentation referenced a planning‑level cost estimate in the range of $17 million and noted county staff are pursuing acquisition of back‑tax parcels that lie in the floodplain to secure right of way before detailed design advances.

Watkins said Leslie Canyon Pond (Rucker Dam area) is also in design with plans expected by year‑end; staff noted coordination with ADWR remains a regulatory step on that project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a watershed study for Brokaw/Broker Creek with roughly $300,000 allocated for study work to address flooding in the Elfrida area, and the county is performing a separate Pomerene Road watershed study intended to reduce roadway flooding where staff are evaluating local permitting and utility conflicts.

Staff also updated the board on the Border Recharge (Palominas) property the county purchased for future recharge investigation. Watkins said the project would investigate recharge potential from stormwater and, separately, water‑quality and feasibility issues if treated effluent were considered for recharge. Some supervisors and members of the public expressed concern about effluent going directly into the ground. Watkins described typical municipal practice and said reuse would not be direct raw discharge: \"They have wetlands that they treat their effluent... and then that flows into their recharge basins,\" Watkins said, adding that the county would investigate water quality and treatment steps before any recharge.

Board members and staff discussed legal and jurisdictional constraints for projects that cross property or political boundaries, including the county's regulatory cutoff for requiring Flood Control involvement at 500 cfs; Watkins said the county regulates features and development where flows exceed that threshold. Staff said other projects could require right‑of‑way acquisition from private owners when the wash and needed improvements lie on private property.

Staff emphasized that many of these projects rely on outside funding and partnerships — examples cited included WIFRA, WIPA and state and federal grants — and that schedules depend on grant awards and right‑of‑way agreements. No formal board votes were recorded during the work session; staff said several items will return to the board for approvals when procurement, grants or easement actions are ready for decision.","Cochise County Flood Control staff briefed the board on planned gabion and grade‑control installations, a low apparent bid for the Coyote Wash project, Bay Acres design status and other watershed studies; staff said some projects are grant‑funded and several require landowner agreements or right‑of‑way work before construction.","actionData","errors"]

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Cochise County uses high‑resolution Flow2D modeling to target Wilcox Basin recharge sites

Flood Control work session: gabion/check‑dam planning, Coyote Wash bid, Bay Acres and other project updates