Rick Engineering Company

GOAT CANYON ENHANCEMENT PROJECT

This project, spearheaded by Rick Engineering Company's Water Resources Division, was awarded the ACEC Award of Engineering Excellence in 2006. Previously, in 2005, the project received an Award of Excellence from the ASCE.

Located along the U.S./Mexico border, Goat Canyon (Cañyon de los Laureles) is a sensitive wetland habitat and home to a diverse populaton of threatened and endangered species. The 4.6 square-mile watershed, located in Mexico, drains directly to the United States before discharging into the Tijuana Estuary and the Pacific Ocean. Until recently, high volumes of sediment, trash and debris from Mexico were continually degrading the downstream estuary, and destroying acres of sensitive coastal wetland and salt marsh areas each year.

Located within Border Field State Park, the project design was focused on preserving both the health of the public and the beauty of the environment. The primary goal of the Goat Canyon.

Enhancement Project is to protect the valuable coastal wetland habitat within Goat Canyon and portions of the Tijuana Estuary from further degradation due to sediment, trash, and debris from Mexico. With construction completed in June 2005, the Goat Canyon Enhancement Project now consists of a flow diversion structure, two in-line sedimentation basins, material processing area, visual screening berm, wetland habitat restoration areas, and improvements to park access. The project provides 98% sediment removal efficiency for the anticipated 42,000 cubic yards of sediment, trash and debris carried in from Mexico each year. The construction of the Goat Canyon Enhancement Project is key to protecting the valuable wetland ecosystem and our precious border coastline.