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Location Description Situated at its dramatic narrowing point, Water Mark crowns the Indian Bend Wash and Scottsdale’s innovative flood control greenbelt. Encompassed within the basin on both sides of the roadway, the artwork is like a coin with two sides. Marking floodwaters conceptually unites the two sides. Heads is a series of five aluminum equine gargoyle sculptures. Spaced 125 feet apart, the gargoyles grace the drop structure, in the north basin, atop stepped charcoal gray concrete plinths. Tails, in the south basin, is a series of earthworks, reachable by pedestrian and bicycle users of the multi-use pathways underneath the roadway, a discovery for users of the greenbelt. Six “stadia walls” and “flow berms” measure changing water levels during flows. The stadia walls are charcoal-gray concrete, to match the gargoyle plinths and to align with the columns of the bridge’s arches to direct the water south as it exits downstream of the bridge. The stadia walls include sculptural square notches and protrusions
Equine Gargoyle Fabricator: The five equine gargoyle sculptures were fabricated by Charles Wiemeyer Design Company
Project Manager Jana Weldon
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Directed towards the passing traffic, each gargoyle strikes a different pose and stands sentinel, some with ears pricked back to hear impeding flows, which can envelope but never overtake them. During dramatic flash flooding, water will pour from the gargoyles’ mouths and drop to their feet, adding the ephemeral effect of cascading water to thunder-clouded skies. The equine forms recall the historic McCormick Arabian Ranch, once adjacent to the site. At night, the sculptures are subtlety up-lit with blue lights on the east side and yellow lights on the
that form various patterns as the waters rise, and lines of red tile inset at one-foot vertical increments mark water level of the basin. These walls transition into naturalistic flow berms, constructed of mortared stone with linear planters along the top. A related triangular “delta planter” in the center of the basin holds ironwood trees. Each becomes an island when the flows occur. The flow berms were inspired by existing mesquite groves that also become islands in flooding, which are dear to the local community and are home year-round to wildlife, including migrating birds such as egrets and herons. The native plants atop the flow berms commune with the existing vegetation of the grove. 
(cwdcfabrication.com). Charles has collaborated with Haddad|Drugan on several projects spanning ten years, including Seattle's Fremont Peak Park, Millennium Plaza in Kent, WA, and Lineage in San Jose, CA. The Water Mark gargoyles were a big challenge. Charles first did a full-scale mock up of the horse in wood, including movable legs so that Tom and Laura could decide on the exact placement for each position. Four different wood templates of the head were made, based on Haddad|Drugan's model. Charles used over fifty sheets of aluminum and over seven miles of welding stick on each sculpture.