Big Bonito Barrier

The project involved constructing a 1/3-mile temporary access road to reach the site in the Big Bonito Creek area of the Fort Apache Reservation in eastern Arizona. This area experiences seasonal monsoons and winter snow, which posed construction challenges. To facilitate the work, the creek’s flow—up to 12 CFS—was redirected around the construction zone using a temporary coffer dam and three-phase submersible pumps.

A reinforced concrete barrier was then constructed to prevent brown trout, an aggressive species, from migrating upstream and disturbing the egg-laying grounds of the Apache trout. The structure was anchored into bedrock, with the footing drilled and epoxy-doweled into place. A wide keyway was cut into the bedrock along both sides of the barrier for added stability. On the downstream side, a concrete apron with a 4:1 slope was poured, and a concrete cutoff wall was anchored into the bedrock at the low end. To prevent erosion and bank scouring, a cross-weir vane made of riprap was installed beyond the apron.

After completing the barrier, an older upstream wire and shotcrete barrier was demolished and removed. The temporary access road was dismantled, and all disturbed areas were restored to preconstruction conditions, including the placement of boulders, fallen trees, and reseeding with grass. Despite harsh weather—including snow and monsoons—the 12-week project was completed in just 7 weeks by Fasone.