Sand-confinement grids from Geocell Systems

In the wake of the floods following Hurricane Katrina, officials are working to figure out how to prepare and respond to other natural disasters involving flooding, and the need for improved water barriers. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is now in the process of testing new, so-called “super-levees.”

The first series of modular sand-confinement grid systems by Geocell Systems is called the Rapid Deployment Flood Wall (RDFW), and is designed to supplement existing earthen water barriers. The strength of an RDFW is much greater than that of a sandbag structure, and its construction requires much less labor. RDFW is made of an environmentally friendly, recyclable plastic from Eastman Chemical Co. of Kingsport, Tenn. The material is resistant to vermin and mildew, and is convenient to store, repair, and reuse.