Hermosillo Overpass Captures Rainwater for Irrigation and Flood Control

A rainwater capture system has been installed at the grade‑separated overpass (paso a desnivel) on the Colosio and Solidaridad boulevards in Hermosillo, Sonora. The infrastructure includes 202 m of steel‑aluminized pipe with a storage capacity of about 920,000 L, and a network of grates that collect runoff from roughly 5,000 m² of surface area. Designed using 65 years of precipitation records and a 100‑year return‑period scenario, the system directs water to a 10‑m‑deep chamber equipped with a 3‑hp pump, filters it through sand and gravel, and either infiltrates it to recharge the aquifer or stores it for later use.

The municipal water services will use the stored water to irrigate parks, camellones and other green areas via special water trucks, while the hydraulic design prevents water from entering the tunnel, thereby reducing flood risk. The project is part of the infrastructure program led by municipal president Antonio Astiazarán Gutiérrez and overseen by Director General of Infrastructure Development Astarté Corro Ruiz.