Camarillo Springs Emergency Debris Flow Barriers

After wildfires stripped the hills bare of vegetation, torrential rains during the monsoon season of 2014 created significant debris flow events impacting and devastating homes. With the 2015 El Niño approaching, preventive measures were quickly installed in the hillsides above Camarillo Springs as the primary mitigation measure against future debris flows.

The City of Camarillo hired the engineering company Kane Geotech, Inc. (Kane Geotech) to design debris flow mitigation measures. Dr. William Kane designed a plan and specified use of Geobrugg’s debris flow and shallow landslide barriers placed strategically within high risk gullies (barrancas).

At the end of 2015 the City of Camarillo hired Access Limited Construction Co., Inc. (Access Limited) to install the Geobrugg systems. Access Limited worked with Kane Geotech and Geobrugg to have the barriers installed before the rains hit. Geobrugg delivered material and Access Limited completed installation well ahead of the January 31st deadline. El Niño reached California the very next week and the Geobrugg Debris Flow barriers performed as designed.

Retention capacity:

Barranca 1 = 2,000 CY / 1,530 m³
Barranca 2 = 10,000 CY / 7,645  m³
Barranca 3 =12,000 CY / 9,175 m³
Total of 24,000 CY / 18,350 m³

Watch the clip on keyt-tv, Santa Barbara