Three FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers are part of a new flood wall designed to protect Tacoma’s Central Treatment Plant from flooding.

The City of Tacoma recently completed a project to protect their wastewater treatment plant from flooding which would damage $10 million in electrical equipment and allow millions of gallons of untreated wastewater to flow into the Commencement Bay & Puyallup River. The facility treats about 30 million gallons each day and up to 135 million gallons per day during winter storms.

You can watch city officials explain the project in this News Tribune report:

The wall ranges in height from 2 feet to 8 feet on the south end where the risk of flooding is greatest. That is where the 3 FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers are installed. They are all about 30’ long and range in height from 3.5’ to 6.5’.

The passive automatic system is comprised of buoyant panels built with hollow aluminum extrusions and self-sealing rubber gaskets. The barriers are permanently installed at the entrances, flush with the ground and will automatically deploy during a flood, lifted solely by the rising floodwaters without any human intervention or power.
Read more about How It Works

They are designed for long service life in extreme outdoor conditions and support HS 25 truck loads when in the rest position and hydrostatic pressure when deployed.

The flood wall is constructed with sheet piles extending as much as 25 feet into the ground to block underground seeping. There was insufficient space for a levee and a concrete floodwall was not feasible.

Another devastating flood hit Houston, TX but FloodBreak customers were not worried.

The most significant flood event in Houston, TX since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 had many facilities managers worried about flooding but not FloodBreak customers who could rest easy knowing the passive automatic floodgate would deploy automatically without human intervention or power. Multiple properties were protected.

No facility personnel had to be present to actively close the floodgates. No need to rush to facilities in dangerous driving conditions. The barriers deployed automatically.  And in some cases, they had deployed and then returned to their hidden position when the flood waters receded and personnel could get to the facility.

The FloodBreak passive system is based on a simple concept: let the power of the rising water lift the gate. No people. No power. See how it works.  FloodBreak passive floodgates automatically deploy when flash flooding overpowers sewer lines and inundates streets.

For longtime FloodBreak customers, this was no surprise as many were also protected during the 2015 Memorial Day Flood. That unexpected storm caught many by surprise and resulted in flooded buildings even though they had active floodgates. Either through lack of advance warning or human error, those gates weren’t closed.

FloodBreak customers, on the other hand, were protected. When flooding occurred during the overnight hours, vulnerable openings like entrances at Dallas Love Field were automatically closed by passive FloodBreak Pedestrian Gates, which automatically deployed and then returned to their hidden position allowing pedestrian traffic to  enter and exit the building.

Sixteen years ago, Houston endured an unprecedented flood disaster during Tropical Storm Allison.  At the time, Allison was the costliest flood disaster in US history. 
Born of the challenges in protecting properties at the time, FloodBreak has become a worldwide success story in flood protection while continuing to deliver premium solutions to customers in the Houston area.  Hurricane Harvey has yet again brought unprecedented flooding to Houston, but fortunately many customers were protected by FloodBreak’s passive automatic flood barrier systems.

Customers across the Gulf Coast area, including the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Galleria, commercial office buildings and even a Houston homeowner saw their facilities go undamaged even while neighbors were inundated by the floods.  Many of these customers don’t have resources to actively close their barriers or didn’t want to close off access days in advance. They relied on their FloodBreak passive automatic gates to automatically deploy without human intervention or power to prevent inundation when floodwaters approached.  This allowed for full use of their properties in the run-up to the storm and immediately after the water cleared, while other FloodBreak customers deployed their barriers in advance as part of emergency preparedness to concentrate on other preparedness measures.

Hurricane Harvey wasn’t the first time FloodBreak passive flood barriers deployed to protect customer locations. Two recent rain events in Houston, the 2016 Tax Day & the 2015 Memorial Day Floods, saw multiple customers protected when unexpected, overnight flash flooding caught facilities personnel off guard. Fortunately for them, their assets were protected when FloodBreak floodgates passively deployed to prevent flood inundation. In fact, FloodBreak automatic floodgates have saved customers in at least 13 states and internationally, with some locations protected multiple times.

Read more about FloodBreak’s beginnings and successful cutomers in About Us

Since its invention in 2001, FloodBreak now has over 700 floodgates installed in 10 countries. Customers include world class hospitals, major transportation systems, government buildings, commercial real estate, industrial plants including wastewater, hazardous chemicals, and nuclear power, DOT roadways and small businesses.

Contact FloodBreak to learn how our range of flood protection solutions can help you.

After being inundated during the Memorial Day 2015 Flood, the property management team did not want to go through that again.

They installed a FloodBreak passive automatic flood barrier to protect the loading dock and mechanical equipment at their Houston office building. Fortunately they did as 11 months later the Tax Day 2016 flood hit Houston and the automatic flood gate deployed without human intervention to prevent floodwaters from inundating the loading dock.  A year later when Harvey flooded Houston, not only their loading dock was protected but also their parking garage where they had added 5 more passive automatic floodgates.

FloodBreak Vehicle Gate deploying during Harvey

Read about their success story in a  Houston Chronicle article.

During non flood times, they gates allow full access to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

3000 Post Oak was one of over a dozen locations protected during Harvey. Locations included the Houston Galleria, MD Anderson Cancer Center and numerous commercial office buildings and luxury apartments.

Three FloodBreak® passive automatic floodgates are part of an EDA infrastructure investment that helped protect major manufacturers in Bloomsburg PA.

In September of 2011, Tropical Storm Lee caused catastrophic flooding in the Town of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Almost a third of the community was underwater including two major employers who suffered heavy damage. After the 2011 event and following flooding in 2004, 2005 & 2006, local community leaders worked with EDA to obtain disaster recovery funding that was used to build a floodwall to protect vital business infrastructure. FloodBreak passive automatic floodgates were installed at 3 vehicle entrances in the floodwall. These closure devices remain open during dry times allow full access while providing 24/7 flood protection.

During the August 13, 2018 flood event the FloodBreak barriers deployed automatically without human intervention or power to prevent flood inundation from river flooding. Read the EDA success story here

The automatic deployments are the latest in a long list of verified flood saves. A year ago, in August 2017, FloodBreak barriers protected over a dozen Houston area customers during the unprecedented flooding from Hurricane Harvey. In fact FloodBreak flood barriers protected Houston customers during Tax Day 2016 and Memorial Day 2015 floods.

FloodBreak has dozens of verified flood saves including some customers who have been protected multiple times.

Notable was Lourdes Hospital, located on the Susequehanna River upstream from Bloomsburg, which was saved during the 20111 flood by ten (10) FloodBreak automatic flood gates installed in 2010.

The FloodBreak® Slimline Vehicle Gate is designed for low level flooding where less than 2′ flood protection is desired.

Originally designed for EDF to protect nuclear power plants in France, the Slimline model met the requirement for a passive automatic flood barrier with a shallow installation footprint that could support HS-20 vehicular loads.

The ability to automatically protect against flash flooding without human intervention or mechanical assistance has made the Slimline flood barrier a popular design for driveways and below grade garages susceptible to street flooding.

Slimline Vehicle Gate automatically deployed during Harvey

Just like the standard FloodBreak Automatic Floodgates that have been protecting customers for over a decade, the Slimline Vehicle Gate deploys automatically without human intervention or power. A Slimline Vehicle Gate installed in Houston after the Tax Day 2016 flood,  deployed to prevent floodwater from entering the below grade garage when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston.

Read more about FloodBreak automatic floodgates protecting customer assets during Hurricane Harvey.

FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers provide the best of all worlds: permanent flood protection, full building access and architectural integration.

Many customers have chosen to use granite cladding, marble, stained & polished concrete or custom paint color instead of standard wiper walls. Any smooth surface can be used. Some have also covered the barriers with carpet, tile or pavers to further blend the embedded passive floodgate with the surrounding architectural features. Seen below are new installations at Crossway Publishing in Wheaton, IL & the LTA in Singapore along with long time FloodBreak customers.

For over a decade, FloodBreak® passive automatic flood barrier systems have been protecting people and property without human intervention or power across the U.S.  Based on it’s simple yet proven design, increasingly customers across the globe are choosing the passive system to protect critical assets.  A recent customer installation in New Zealand marks the first in that country though the response has been extremely positive and discussions with the project team will undoubtedly lead to more projects.

The FloodBreak vehicular flood barrier provides permanent protection yet remains hidden beneath grade until an actual flood event occurs, allowing unimpeded access.  Regardless of time of day and without need for personnel to be present, the floodgate will deploy automatically, lifted by the power of the rising floodwater.

FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers are now protecting Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, IA & Monash Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia

Protecting hospitals is a core application for FloodBreak flood barriers dating back to 2003 when the first FloodBreak floodgates were installed at MD Anderson Cancer in Houston, TX in the aftermath of catastrophic flooding from TS Allison. The number of passive barriers at the world renowned cancer center now totals 30 includng replacement of many previously installed active swing gates that were difficult to close and vulnerable to human error.

The growing list of hospitals includes Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, IN & Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, NY, both of which are included in FEMA Mitigation Best Practices stories.

• Learn about FloodBreak FEMA Mitigation Best Practices
• Learn about FloodBreak Hospital Solutions

Mercy Medical Center recently had seven passive automatic flood barriers installed at hospital entrances. Like much of Cedar Rapids, they were flooded in 2008 and were forced to evacuate patients.  Patients and staff are now protected 24/7.

Mercy also looked to architecturally integrate the barriers incorporating their granite cladded walls into the design and covering the barriers with carpeting in vestibules.

Three FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers are part of a new flood wall designed to protect Tacoma’s Central Treatment Plant from flooding.

The City of Tacoma recently completed a project to protect their wastewater treatment plant from flooding which would damage $10 million in electrical equipment and allow millions of gallons of untreated wastewater to flow into the Commencement Bay & Puyallup River. The facility treats about 30 million gallons each day and up to 135 million gallons per day during winter storms.

You can watch city officials explain the project in this News Tribune report:

The wall ranges in height from 2 feet to 8 feet on the south end where the risk of flooding is greatest. That is where the 3 FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers are installed. They are all about 30’ long and range in height from 3.5’ to 6.5’.

The passive automatic system is comprised of buoyant panels built with hollow aluminum extrusions and self-sealing rubber gaskets. The barriers are permanently installed at the entrances, flush with the ground and will automatically deploy during a flood, lifted solely by the rising floodwaters without any human intervention or power.
Read more about How It Works

They are designed for long service life in extreme outdoor conditions and support HS 25 truck loads when in the rest position and hydrostatic pressure when deployed.

The flood wall is constructed with sheet piles extending as much as 25 feet into the ground to block underground seeping. There was insufficient space for a levee and a concrete floodwall was not feasible.

Another devastating flood hit Houston, TX but FloodBreak customers were not worried.

The most significant flood event in Houston, TX since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 had many facilities managers worried about flooding but not FloodBreak customers who could rest easy knowing the passive automatic floodgate would deploy automatically without human intervention or power. Multiple properties were protected.

No facility personnel had to be present to actively close the floodgates. No need to rush to facilities in dangerous driving conditions. The barriers deployed automatically.  And in some cases, they had deployed and then returned to their hidden position when the flood waters receded and personnel could get to the facility.

The FloodBreak passive system is based on a simple concept: let the power of the rising water lift the gate. No people. No power. See how it works.  FloodBreak passive floodgates automatically deploy when flash flooding overpowers sewer lines and inundates streets.

For longtime FloodBreak customers, this was no surprise as many were also protected during the 2015 Memorial Day Flood. That unexpected storm caught many by surprise and resulted in flooded buildings even though they had active floodgates. Either through lack of advance warning or human error, those gates weren’t closed.

FloodBreak customers, on the other hand, were protected. When flooding occurred during the overnight hours, vulnerable openings like entrances at Dallas Love Field were automatically closed by passive FloodBreak Pedestrian Gates, which automatically deployed and then returned to their hidden position allowing pedestrian traffic to  enter and exit the building.

Sixteen years ago, Houston endured an unprecedented flood disaster during Tropical Storm Allison.  At the time, Allison was the costliest flood disaster in US history. 
Born of the challenges in protecting properties at the time, FloodBreak has become a worldwide success story in flood protection while continuing to deliver premium solutions to customers in the Houston area.  Hurricane Harvey has yet again brought unprecedented flooding to Houston, but fortunately many customers were protected by FloodBreak’s passive automatic flood barrier systems.

Customers across the Gulf Coast area, including the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Galleria, commercial office buildings and even a Houston homeowner saw their facilities go undamaged even while neighbors were inundated by the floods.  Many of these customers don’t have resources to actively close their barriers or didn’t want to close off access days in advance. They relied on their FloodBreak passive automatic gates to automatically deploy without human intervention or power to prevent inundation when floodwaters approached.  This allowed for full use of their properties in the run-up to the storm and immediately after the water cleared, while other FloodBreak customers deployed their barriers in advance as part of emergency preparedness to concentrate on other preparedness measures.

Hurricane Harvey wasn’t the first time FloodBreak passive flood barriers deployed to protect customer locations. Two recent rain events in Houston, the 2016 Tax Day & the 2015 Memorial Day Floods, saw multiple customers protected when unexpected, overnight flash flooding caught facilities personnel off guard. Fortunately for them, their assets were protected when FloodBreak floodgates passively deployed to prevent flood inundation. In fact, FloodBreak automatic floodgates have saved customers in at least 13 states and internationally, with some locations protected multiple times.

Read more about FloodBreak’s beginnings and successful cutomers in About Us

Since its invention in 2001, FloodBreak now has over 700 floodgates installed in 10 countries. Customers include world class hospitals, major transportation systems, government buildings, commercial real estate, industrial plants including wastewater, hazardous chemicals, and nuclear power, DOT roadways and small businesses.

Contact FloodBreak to learn how our range of flood protection solutions can help you.

After being inundated during the Memorial Day 2015 Flood, the property management team did not want to go through that again.

They installed a FloodBreak passive automatic flood barrier to protect the loading dock and mechanical equipment at their Houston office building. Fortunately they did as 11 months later the Tax Day 2016 flood hit Houston and the automatic flood gate deployed without human intervention to prevent floodwaters from inundating the loading dock.  A year later when Harvey flooded Houston, not only their loading dock was protected but also their parking garage where they had added 5 more passive automatic floodgates.

FloodBreak Vehicle Gate deploying during Harvey

Read about their success story in a  Houston Chronicle article.

During non flood times, they gates allow full access to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

3000 Post Oak was one of over a dozen locations protected during Harvey. Locations included the Houston Galleria, MD Anderson Cancer Center and numerous commercial office buildings and luxury apartments.

Three FloodBreak® passive automatic floodgates are part of an EDA infrastructure investment that helped protect major manufacturers in Bloomsburg PA.

In September of 2011, Tropical Storm Lee caused catastrophic flooding in the Town of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Almost a third of the community was underwater including two major employers who suffered heavy damage. After the 2011 event and following flooding in 2004, 2005 & 2006, local community leaders worked with EDA to obtain disaster recovery funding that was used to build a floodwall to protect vital business infrastructure. FloodBreak passive automatic floodgates were installed at 3 vehicle entrances in the floodwall. These closure devices remain open during dry times allow full access while providing 24/7 flood protection.

During the August 13, 2018 flood event the FloodBreak barriers deployed automatically without human intervention or power to prevent flood inundation from river flooding. Read the EDA success story here

The automatic deployments are the latest in a long list of verified flood saves. A year ago, in August 2017, FloodBreak barriers protected over a dozen Houston area customers during the unprecedented flooding from Hurricane Harvey. In fact FloodBreak flood barriers protected Houston customers during Tax Day 2016 and Memorial Day 2015 floods.

FloodBreak has dozens of verified flood saves including some customers who have been protected multiple times.

Notable was Lourdes Hospital, located on the Susequehanna River upstream from Bloomsburg, which was saved during the 20111 flood by ten (10) FloodBreak automatic flood gates installed in 2010.

The FloodBreak® Slimline Vehicle Gate is designed for low level flooding where less than 2′ flood protection is desired.

Originally designed for EDF to protect nuclear power plants in France, the Slimline model met the requirement for a passive automatic flood barrier with a shallow installation footprint that could support HS-20 vehicular loads.

The ability to automatically protect against flash flooding without human intervention or mechanical assistance has made the Slimline flood barrier a popular design for driveways and below grade garages susceptible to street flooding.

Slimline Vehicle Gate automatically deployed during Harvey

Just like the standard FloodBreak Automatic Floodgates that have been protecting customers for over a decade, the Slimline Vehicle Gate deploys automatically without human intervention or power. A Slimline Vehicle Gate installed in Houston after the Tax Day 2016 flood,  deployed to prevent floodwater from entering the below grade garage when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston.

Read more about FloodBreak automatic floodgates protecting customer assets during Hurricane Harvey.

The FloodBreak® Automatic Floodgate was recently featured in Business Insider.  The media platform interviewed FloodBreak President and Founder, Lou Waters, to discuss how the revolutionary technology protects communities from natural disasters without human intervention.

The Business Insider feature ie entitled: How an automatic floodgate is helping communities against natural disasters

• The FloodBreak passive automatic  floodgate can work in flash floods and areas that are unprepared for natural disasters.
• It uses the hydrostatic pressure of the flood water, the gate does not need to be controlled or operated by people.

FloodBreak floodgates were deployed during Hurricane Harvey in Houston saving numerous commercial buildings, hospitals and other assets. Read more.

FloodBreak Pedestrian Gate protects Braeburn CC from flood devastation

FloodBreak automatic gates have deployed in dozens of locations including Norfolk VA, Bloomsburg PA, Alexandria VA, Hillside NJ, Great Neck NY, Davenport IA, Solon OH, Dallas TX, Oklahoma City OK, Chicago IL and Houston TX.

Read more about the revolutionary passive technology that deploys the self rising panel without human intervention or power.

• How It Works

Tropical Storm Imelda brought unexpected heavy rain and flooding to parts of southeastern Texas. FloodBreak® passive automatic gates were ready.

Heavy rain caused street flooding in Bellaire, TX, threatening below grade garages at 610 Loop office buildings including the new home for FloodBreak Automatic Floodgates, the Texas based manufacturer of passive automatic flood barrier systems that protect dozens of properties around Houston and are installed at thousands of vulnerable openings worldwide.

Fortunately, the building owners, SLS Properties, had 4 FloodBreak Vehicle Gates to prevent flooding of their garage. All 4 flood gates deployed during the flood event protecting tenant vehicles parked in the garage.  When the rain subsided and floodwaters receded, the floodgates returned to their hidden position at the top of the driveway & vehicles could exit.

When the rain subsided and floodwaters receded, the floodgates returned to their hidden position at the top of the driveway & vehicles could exit.

Dozens of FloodBreak automatic gates deployed around Houston when the flash flooding from Imelda threatened vulnerable assets.  Many like the gates at 3000 Post Oak had prevented flood inundation during Harvey & Tax Day flooding. Read about Harvey Saves

FloodBreak passive automatic are designed for these conditions and provide owners with peace of mind knowing that protection is not dependent upon their facilities personnel mobilizing to close gates, locate and assemble flood planks or pile sandbags.  FloodBreak barriers are passive automatic – they deploy without human intervention or power. Read more about How it Works.

For over a decade, FloodBreak® passive automatic flood barrier systems have been protecting people and property without human intervention or power across the U.S.  Based on it’s simple yet proven design, increasingly customers across the globe are choosing the passive system to protect critical assets.  A recent customer installation in New Zealand marks the first in that country though the response has been extremely positive and discussions with the project team will undoubtedly lead to more projects.

The FloodBreak vehicular flood barrier provides permanent protection yet remains hidden beneath grade until an actual flood event occurs, allowing unimpeded access.  Regardless of time of day and without need for personnel to be present, the floodgate will deploy automatically, lifted by the power of the rising floodwater.

FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers are now protecting Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, IA & Monash Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia

Protecting hospitals is a core application for FloodBreak flood barriers dating back to 2003 when the first FloodBreak floodgates were installed at MD Anderson Cancer in Houston, TX in the aftermath of catastrophic flooding from TS Allison. The number of passive barriers at the world renowned cancer center now totals 30 includng replacement of many previously installed active swing gates that were difficult to close and vulnerable to human error.

The growing list of hospitals includes Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, IN & Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, NY, both of which are included in FEMA Mitigation Best Practices stories.

• Learn about FloodBreak FEMA Mitigation Best Practices
• Learn about FloodBreak Hospital Solutions

Mercy Medical Center recently had seven passive automatic flood barriers installed at hospital entrances. Like much of Cedar Rapids, they were flooded in 2008 and were forced to evacuate patients.  Patients and staff are now protected 24/7.

Mercy also looked to architecturally integrate the barriers incorporating their granite cladded walls into the design and covering the barriers with carpeting in vestibules.

Three FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers are part of a flood wall designed to protect Tacoma’s Central Treatment Plant from flooding.

The City of Tacoma completed a project to protect their wastewater treatment plant from flooding which damaged $10 million in electrical equipment and allowed millions of gallons of untreated wastewater to flow into the Commencement Bay & Puyallup River. The facility treats about 30 million gallons each day and up to 135 million gallons per day during winter storms

The wall ranges in height from 2 feet to 8 feet on the south end where the risk of flooding is greatest. That is where the 3 FloodBreak passive automatic flood barriers are installed. They are all about 30’ long and range in height from 3.5’ to 6.5’.

The passive automatic system is comprised of buoyant panels built with hollow aluminum extrusions and self-sealing rubber gaskets. The barriers are permanently installed at the entrances, flush with the ground and will automatically deploy during a flood, lifted solely by the rising floodwaters without any human intervention or power.
Read more about How It Works

They are designed for long service life in extreme outdoor conditions and support HS 25 truck loads when in the rest position and hydrostatic pressure when deployed.

The flood wall is constructed with sheet piles extending as much as 25 feet into the ground to block underground seeping. There was insufficient space for a levee and a concrete floodwall was not feasible.