LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A set of Glen Canyon Dam pipes that had been eroding from the within have been recoated — two months early and beneath funds, in accordance with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
An $8.9 million undertaking to coat every of the 4 pipes within the river outlet works started final summer season and is now full, in accordance with a Wednesday publish on social media. Spectacular blasts of water from these pipes are among the many best-known visuals of the facility of the Colorado River.
2018 Excessive Circulate Experiment. (Photograph: NPS)
“This project reinforces our commitment to maintaining the safety and integrity of Glen Canyon Dam while ensuring we can reliably deliver water to millions,” Reclamation’s Higher Colorado Basin Regional Director Wayne Pullan stated.
An inspection of the pipes in 2023 confirmed inside harm, or “cavitation.” That is the final time a “High Flow Experiment” (HFE) occurred at Glen Canyon Dam. The blast of water generated by utilizing the river outlet works is colder and churns up sediment within the riverbed. That has been an necessary software in disrupting populations of smallmouth bass which have established beneath the dam. The chilly water impacts spawning of the non-native fish that has been described as “predatory,” and so they eat threatened humpback chub, endangered razorback sucker and different fish beneath the dam.
Reclamation may determine to make use of that software once more now that upkeep on the pipes is full.
However the significance of the pipes goes far past controlling undesirable smallmouth bass.
Two of the 4 river outlet works at Glen Canyon Dam launch water instantly into the Colorado River whereas one of many shops is roofed throughout its recoating on this August 2024 picture. (Courtesy: Bureau of Reclamation)
A view of water streaming by means of the river outlet works. (Courtesy: Bureau of Reclamation)
Giant luggage of sand are staged close to Glen Canyon Dam. The sand will probably be used to take away the unique lining contained in the dam’s river outlet works. Their unique coal-tar coating will probably be changed with an epoxy primer and polysiloxane topcoat. (Photograph: Bureau of Reclamation)
April 24, 2023 – Glen Canyon Dam Excessive-Circulate Launch (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation)
April 24, 2023 – Glen Canyon Dam Excessive-Circulate Launch (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation)
2018 Excessive Circulate Experiment. (Photograph: NPS)
The 4 giant metal pipes bypass the hydropower producing items. “The original coal-tar coating, more than 60 years old, was removed and replaced with an epoxy primer and a durable polysiloxane topcoat. The recoating effort is part of the regular, long-term maintenance of the dam,” in accordance with info offered by Reclamation.
Whereas the river outlet works is a secondary set of pipes, they supply the one outlet to the dam if water drops too far. The first pipes (hydropower penstocks) can solely be used when there’s loads of water in Lake Powell. When the lake dropped to 25% of capability in 2022, concern over damaging the dam’s infrastructure prompted emergency releases from dams upstream to spice up the lake’s degree.
If the lake dips beneath the first pipes, the river outlet works must be used, eliminating energy manufacturing on the dam. In line with engineers, the pipes can’t carry sufficient water to satisfy necessities set out within the “Law of the River,” which incorporates allocations assured to states downstream.
