Grand Forks company showcases plastic barrier for future flood events

Written By: Adam Kurtz | Grand Forks Herald | Mar 6th 2020 – 2pm.

FloodStop Barrier
Mark Haaland, left, and Jeff Carl demonstrate the locking mechanism for the Floodstop Barrier. Adam Kurtz / Grand Forks Herald

With a potential flood battle lurking around the corner, one Grand Forks company took the opportunity to showcase a product that it believes is a better alternative to sandbags.

PS Industries, located in the Grand Forks business park, does the vast majority of its business in areas outside of the state. The company held an event on Friday, March 6, to display a Floodstop Barrier, that could be used locally. The barrier is a 36-inch-high partially self-filling floodwall, that the company believes can provide protection from a flood in less time than it takes to make a sandbag wall.
“Now is the time — because everybody’s thinking flood, they’re doing flood and they got flood on the mind — to really bring them in and tell them,” said Mark Haaland, sales and marketing director for PS Industries.

The Floodstop on display on Friday was a big, 40-inch-long molded-plastic block that can interlock with other pieces to form a wall. The sections are locked together with a concrete “key.” Some of the sections are filled with water to provide stability, and others can have a hole cut on the bottom of the wet-side of the wall so the empty blocks fill up as flood waters approach then rise. This, of course, means the blocks are self emptying as well. Haaland said the barrier is designed for rapid deployment, and flood waters can be pumped into the blocks as well.

Haaland said the Floodstop is used in San Francisco, Texas, New York and other coastal areas that are prone to flooding. Golf courses also make use of the product, he said.

Blake Beckstead, street supervisor for the city, said the wall could cut down on time and manpower needed to fill sandbags. “I know we fill a lot of sandbags, and they’re a pain to get wet,” Beckstead said.

They don’t come cheap. One section runs nearly $400, and what is called the “multi-hub,” a corner section of the wall, is still more. “I know it’s an investment, but it’s a lifetime investment,” Beckstead said.

Click here to read the full article in the Grand Forks Herald