project design features showcased at The 5th National FloodProofing Conference and Exposition Levees and Beyond: Making Wise Choice

1. Design Measures to Implement for an
Operational Hospital During Flooding
Rideout Regional Medical Center
916.930.5900 skwaia.com Located 40 miles north of Sacramento, Marysville is flanked by rivers and levees on three
sides. The Feather River is to the west, and to the south and east the Yuba River boarders the
city. The two rivers converge just southwest of the city. Due to the proximity of the Sierra
Facility
Nevada moutains, snow runoff or heavy rain from winter storms present a significant flooding
Rideout Memorial Hospital
risk to the city.
Type
Regional Medical Center When Fremont-Rideout Health Group decided to expand their Rideout Memorial Hospital
Size of Facility into a Regional Medical Center, the design team took the opportunity to implement certain
215,000 sq. ft. “flood proofing” measures into the design. Because Marysville is in a natural flood plain, it was
likely that routine flooding may occur in the region and it was important that this critical care
Location facility could stay operational and continue to serve the community.
Marysville, CA
Yuba County
Population
12,072 in city
72,155 in county
Client Contact
Mr. Tony Moddesette
Vice President,
Facilities and Projects
Architect of Record
Stafford King Wiese
Architects Feather River
Associate Architect,
Kelly Architecture & Planning
Structural Engineer
Buehler & Buehler MARYSVILLE
Structural Engineers, Inc.
Mechanical/Plumbing
Frank M. Booth
Design Build, Co.
Yuba River
Electrical Engineering
Toft Wolff Farrow, Inc.
Rideout Memorial Hospital

2. Rideout Regional Medical Center
water levels mechanical & plumbing solutions
• Estimates of routine flooding water levels between • With the exception of the bulk oxygen and specialized
zero and 10 feet surgical gasses, all major mechanical and plumbing
equipment needed to maintain ventilation, heating
• 100 year flood plain estimates water levels to reach and med gas needs for patient care are located on
26 feet the 6th floor.
• Domestic water and propane connections are provided
flood-proofing measures in the penthouse to provide emergency water and
heating needs.
architectural solutions
• Due to flood risk, all utilities are located above ground
floor and building design omitted basement electrical solutions
• Main electrical room and emergency generators located
• Emergency food storage room located on 6th floor on the 2nd floor at 15 feet above grade level
• An additional housekeeping pad was provided on the
structural solutions tower’s roof to allow emergency portable generator to
• Emergency generators are 50,000 pounds each with be air-lifted to the building and installed for temporary
an additional 20,000 pounds of concrete curbs - this use
equipment caused a 50% increase in steel weight in
this area • A mechanism was integrated to de-energize the 1st and
2nd floor in the event of flooding. To do this, “kirk-key”
• Main electrical room and associated equipment with operated breakers were specified to disconnect all
housekeeping pads - caused a 35% increase in steel electrical lines (branch circuits and feeders) at the third
weight to support the room floor. To operate at kirk-key breaker, one physically
takes a “key” from the breakers on the 3rd floor and
• Emergency generator at the main roof is estimated to “turns” this breaker to the “open circuit” position so
be 6,800 pounds. - caused an increase in the supporting that no current will flow between floors 2 and 3. Next,
steel for the single pad one removes this same “key” and proceeds to the roof,
where a portable generator will be dropped on the
• The braced frame lateral system was significantly roof from a helicopter and positioned near an electrical
impacted in the area affected on the 2nd floor level. The distribution panel. This panel will have breakers that are
brace sizes and associated connections increased due to “keyed” to match the breakers on the 3rd floor. With
the amount of weight added to the structure. As many the key from the 3rd floor, the roof breakers, after
as eight of the braced frames have increased loading connecting to the portable generator will be “turned”
at the 2nd floor level. However, the seismic anchorage to the “closed” position allowing current to flow until it
demand on the units attached to the low roof at the reaches the “open circuit” on the third floor. Now the
2nd floor level is nominally larger and yields similar building is energized from a generator on the roof and
anchorage. The foundation system has slight increases the 1st and 2nd floors are de-energized.
but the capacity of the auger cast pile system allows for
the flexibility to move the electrical system up to the 2nd
floor level with little impact.

3. Rideout Regional Medical Center
Designated
room on
6th floor for
emergency
food storage
All major additional housekeeping pad for
mechanical emergency portable generator
and plumbing
equipment
needed for
patient care is
located on
6th floor
main electrical
room; systems have
ability to disconnect
from 2nd floor
during flooding
3rd floor = 31 ft.
2nd floor = 15 ft.
aesthetic roof screen lengthened
additional housekeeping to enclose electrical room
pad for emergency
helistop portablegenerator
Designated
room on
6th floor for
emergency food
storage
Main electrical
room
Emergency
generator units
on 2nd floor
rooftop at 15
ft. above grade