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Editor’s note:
It’s hard to imagine that we are already in the final hours of 2023. Looking back, all we can say is that it has been quite a year!
In these 12 quick months we’ve started new projects, welcomed new faces, fondly wished good luck to old friends, suffered through record heat, got introduced to FCD Uber and so much more. Your pictures and playful captions help tell the story of US. The District has a lot to be proud of, and it is our honor to get to share the story with everyone. We hope that our humble publication was sometimes informative but always an enjoyable part of your week. Keep the pictures coming so we can make the story of 2024 the best one yet.
2023 treated us to too many things to list (and frankly remember!) but it is always nice to look back at the year that was… in pictures.
Plant salvage started in Rawhide Wash. Asar Acosta was on site to measure cactus for salvage.
Staff from across all divisions descended upon the Arizona SciTech Festival at Barrett Jackson.
Thank you to all who gave their time to talk about flooding in Maricopa County!
Lynndsay O'Neill, Jonny Malloy, Scott Roybal, Dan Henz, Sean Chang, Eric Thomas, Jake Kehlenbach, Eric Yost, Ellen Spielmann
A plant nursery has been set up for the Rawhide Wash Project. All salvageable plants will be replanted when the project is done.
The District participated in the inaugural Maricopa County Career Fair and Expo.
A big thank you to the staff members that manned the booth, shook hands and conducted several interviews.
Mike Fulton, Gus Martinez, Lisa Blyler, Dan Henz, Greg Browne, Joe Wagner, Andy Garcia, Sonya Martinez (HR), Jorge Quintero, Isaac Flores, Rafael De La Paz, Edgar Soto
Salt River Release: We had a very wet winter and active start to spring.
The total reservoir system is up to 90% full - from 70% last year at this time! Snowpack in both the Verde and Salt watersheds are above normal. In anticipation of normal spring snow-melt and additional rainfall/snow, SRP released water to make room for all the spring runoff into the upper reservoirs.
The Lower Gila River Collaborative (LGRC) group conducted vegetation monitoring of invasive species that can potentially degrade the natural environment at the Estrella Mountain Regional Park. District employees Asar Acosta and Stephanie Schreiber joined Parks and Recreation Natural Resources Specialist, Juanita Armstrong and ASU Postgrad student, Luke Ramsey.
The Safety Committee continued their Hazard Assessment of FCD structures. Jorge Quintero and Rafael De La Paz visited Sunnycove and Harquahala Dam. They spent the day inspecting work sites for safety hazards.
Operations and Maintenance staff participated in flood fighting training. Staff gathered at Tres Rios Levee and practiced building a ring dike, a freeboard levee and sand filter.
Work in Rawhide Wash continues. While walls continued ot be reinforced and built, flood break barriers will be installed in the road near Los Portones Drive.
The ALERT room and Dan Henz entertained ABC15 Thursday. The topic of conversation? Monsoon preparation and how vital the ALERT system is during storm events in Maricopa County.
For those of you that missed it, June 1 saw widespread flooding that threatened McMicken Dam and other structures in the West Valley. Worry not. This was all part of a fictitious scenario put together by Stephanie Gerlach and Steve Waters as part of the District’s Annual Flood Exercise. The fast-paced and complicated scenario is meant to test our skills during an emergency so that we are ready to respond should there ever be a need.
We manned stations in the ALERT Room, MCDEM’s Emergency Operations Center and sent crews all over the Valley to observe, flood fight, analyze, strategize and make life-impacting decisions. The hope is that we will never need to activate these emergency procedures, but we know that we will be ready and able to perform under pressure.
Scott Vogel, acting in the role of AOC Chief, is leading an around-the-room briefing. Players (those in the cool vests) provide updates on emerging information in their area of expertise.
Elizabeth Rockwell and Kathryn Gross serve as FCD Liaisons at MCDEM’s Emergency Operations Center.
An observer from the National Resources and Conservation Service catches Scott Vogel and Johnny Malloy in intense decision mode.
Stephanie Gerlach leads the post-event hot wash. All the District players gather together after the grueling morning to celebrate a successful exercise and talk about ways we can improve in the future.
Bring Your Kid to Work Day
More than 100 people invaded visited the District Wednesday to learn about Flood Control and MCDOT and how both departments keep Maricopa County safe.
Kiddos and their adults got a behind-the-scenes tour of our ALERT Room, the O&M Shop and the Tall Pot Nursery as well as MCDOT’s sign shop and Traffic Management Center. They oohed and aahed as the drone took off and landed right in front of them and even got a free [water cycle] dance lesson courtesy of our STEM team of Ellen Spielman and Donell Taylor!
This really was a day of learning disguised as fun and games – kids left with lots of swag but also a ton of real-world examples of science, technology, engineering and math in action. We enjoyed seeing the wonder in the eyes and smiles on the faces of the kiddos as core memories were made.
Darcy Kober presents Mike Fulton a custom clock to remind him of his time with Maricopa County.
The Information, Outreach and Support team made a custom photo book with every memory of Mike's tenure as Director.
No Speeches, Only Well Wishes.
New Employee Orientation (NEO) Reinvented
Fourteen relatively new employees joined us for the first reinvented New Employee Orientation. Attendees visited the O&M Shop, the ALERT Room and even got to build their own dam while learning about the District and Maricopa County.
Excavation continues at Oak Street Basin. Pipes are being installed and walls are going up on Hawes Road.
August 31 brought a storm to the County. All of our structures worked as designed without issues. However, there was some need for cleanup.
The District’s STEM program won an award from the Arizona Association for Environmental Education. Ellen Spielman accepted the award at the annual meeting last week.
The Durango Retrofit Project started in full force! So much progress has been made. Fencing is up, old asphalt is being removed and the Shuttle service is fast and efficient.
Thank you all for your patience!
Ellen Spielman, Jorge Quintero and Donell Taylor visited middle school students at Estrella Middle School in Phoenix for their “Aiming for the Stars” event. This was an opportunity for students who have been recognized for attendance and academics to enjoy an afternoon of learning in a new way.
Ellen Spielman and Donell Taylor visited 2nd graders at Pomeroy Elementary School in Chandler. This was a culminating presentation as the teacher had already completed the STEM lessons with her students. Bonus – we were fortunate enough to learn and hear a song about Monsoon that the students have learned in music class!
Ellen Spielman, Chandra Miller, Mark Frago, and Dr. Jonny attended the ASU Career Navigator Fair to show students the opportunities available at Maricopa County.
Contractors are filling in the holes now that the underground cisterns are in place. These cisterns will store rainwater that the District can use to irrigate the landscape around the 2801 building.
The new West Yard building is almost ready and it looks great! It is expected to be inaugurated early next year. Stay tuned.
The Durango Retrofit Project team welcomed Mr. Hemant Patel from the Flood Control Advisory Board as crews installed permeable pavers in the parking lot.
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