Civiltec Engineering Vice President Chris Dusza recently attended the Arizona Flood Control District Directors Meeting hosted by the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). Having built a solid working relationship with the Coconino County Flood Control District over the years, Chris was invited to join and represent the District during the inaugural meeting.

On Thursday, June 8, 2017 in Phoenix, staff and flood directors from 12 of Arizona’s 15 counties met to discuss how each Flood Control District (FCD) could work with the Corps on various types of projects and how Corps engineers could likewise reach out and help the local FCDs.

“This inaugural event was critical to establishing communication and building relationships with the entire state of Arizona’s flood control districts,” said Colonel Kirk Gibbs, District commander. “Many of the districts are very remote and have not worked with the Corps in the past, so this session was great for providing an overview of our capabilities, processes, and accompanying challenges.”

The Corps presented an overview of their civil works, budgeting, and flood risk management programs, as well as the ways that each FCD could benefit. Additionally, the Corps reviewed its Nonstructural Floodproofing Program, the Silver Jackets program, and a new pilot program for State Levees. Rounding out the meeting, the group gathered for in-depth discussion of both 408 permitting, regarding right-of-way approvals and limitations for Corps projects and applications, and 404 permitting, which covers the application of the Clean Water Act for flood control and other types of projects.

As an acting Coconino County Flood Control District representative, Chris gave an overview of the County’s projects to the group. He described how he and his engineers have worked with the Corps and explained the permitting process and other requirements that these types of projects entailed.

This first Arizona Flood Control District Directors Meeting did not focus on any one particular project; instead, the meeting presented a broad, forum-based opportunity for the state’s FCDs to come together to discuss common interest issues and to discover how the Corps can interact and assist in the future.

Based off the resounding success of the meeting, the Corps plans to continue hosting similar events so as to expand on its newfound partnership throughout the coming year and onwards.