Chapters authored
Two-Dimensional Hydraulic Modeling and Geotechnical Analysis of Earthen Regulation Dams Located at Arroyo Las Viboras Watershed in a Major Transboundary Mexico-USA Metroplex: How an Ordinary Rain Event Caused Major Damage Related to Extraordinary Flooding
Despite low annual precipitation rates, major cities located in deserts are prone to flash flooding events, which incur important economic costs and in some cases loss of human life. The northern Chihuahua desert metroplex of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua-El Paso, Texas, is a region where seasonal summer rains result in flash flooding. One of the most important flooding zones in Ciudad Juarez occurs at the Arroyo Las Viboras. Detailed light detection and ranging (LIDAR) terrain models were incorporated during two-dimensional modeling to understand flow conditions for two specific ordinary rain events. In addition, electrical resistivity tomography and seismic geophysical studies were conducted to examine if the hydraulic infrastructure was properly emplaced from a geological and geotechnical perspective. The results showed that Las Viboras watershed is almost hydrologically unprotected since the major dam is not regulating water flow volumes. The Camino Real transmountain road is improperly acting as a retention wall and geotechnical and geophysical findings indicate that Puerto La Paz dam has to be moved to a new location since it is currently located on top of plastic clays. El Filtro dam poses a higher risk because.Finally, three more dams are required to be constructed upstream in order to ensure hydrological resilience of the watershed.
Part of the book: Flood Risk Management