Environmentally Speaking - eNewsletter for the A/E/C Community

Dam Engineering Feature

Several Gannett Fleming clients, projects and speakers were on the agenda at the United States Society on Dams (USSD) Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn. In addition to an International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) update and presentations on carbonate foundations (papers/presentations), there were field tours to Center Hill Dam, Tenn., and Wolf Creek Dam, Ky. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Nashville District, classified both of these dams as Class 1 Action for dam safety remediation, the highest priority for USACE projects.

Industry renowned dam engineer, Bill Bingham, P.E., received the coveted USSD "Lifetime Achievement Award" during the conference.

Center Hill Dam, Tenn.

The Center Hill Dam rehabilitation includes extensive grouting using IntelliGrout^®, critical in the embankment area as preparatory step for cutoff wall construction, and in the abutment area as the sole long-term remediation measure. Gannett Fleming is providing engineering and geologic services on the project as subcontractor to the Kiewit-ACT Joint Venture.

Wolf Creek Dam, Ky.

The largest reservoir east of the Mississippi River, Lake Cumberland was created by the Wolf Creek Dam, which also includes a power generating station.

Gannett Fleming also used IntelliGrout^® to monitor, control and analyze one of the largest dam grouting programs undertaken by the USACE. Grouting is part of the comprehensive, long-term solution to address seepage problems and potential structural deficiencies at the Wolf Creek Dam. This earthen embankment dam is located on the Cumberland River in south central Kentucky. Gannett Fleming provided geotechnical engineering and geologic services to the prime contractor (ACT, Ltd.) and to the USACE, Nashville District.

Herbert Hoover Dike, Fla.

Engaged as engineering subcontractor, Gannett Fleming analyzed and designed rehabilitation measures for a 3.8-mile reach of this dike rehabilitation assignment. Significant seepage occurred through and beneath the Herbert Hoover Dike as a result of high water events on Lake Okeechobee.

Elkwater Fork Dam, W.Va.

Gannett Fleming was engaged by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to design a new 130-foot high roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam on Elkwater Fork in the Upper Tygart Valley Watershed. Construction was completed this year and will provide a reliable 3 million-gallons-per-day (mgd) source of supply for the city of Elkins and surrounding communities.

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Bingham National Influence

In addition to his 2009 USSD "Lifetime Achievement Award," Bill was named "Engineer of the Year" by the Pennsylvania Society for Professional Engineers in 2000.

Bill Bingham's project portfolio is a dam engineer's blueprint for success. Beginning in the early '80s, RCC was introduced in the United States as a method of economically and rapidly constructing new dams. Bill has been instrumental in advancing RCC technology over the past quarter century. His projects from the past decade alone include multiple award-winning assignments.

Bill promoted RCC to improve the safety of existing dams, such as the $30 million repair of the Loch Raven Concrete-Gravity Dam in Maryland. This effort garnered nine engineering and construction awards including the ASDSO 2006 "National Rehabilitation Project of the Year." [national accolades]

Bill provided technical review of all design aspects to the 318-foot-high Olivenhain Dam located in a highly seismic region in southern California. He further promoted the use of an external geomembrane liner system on the dam, ensuring its performance following a major earthquake. The Olivenhain project was the first application of this upstream facing technology on an RCC dam in the United States. [outstanding civil engineering achievement]

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Hawaii Dam Investigations

Bill, Dean Durkee, Ph.D., P.E. [bio], and Paul Schweiger, P.E. [bio], have also been providing invaluable guidance on the State of Hawaii Dam Safety Program. The state's dam safety staff felt overwhelmed by the daunting task of rebuilding the program's effectiveness after a tragic dam failure in Hawaii.

Gannett Fleming assistance included Phase 1 investigations of 16 dams on the island of Oahu and concluded with a three-day owner training workshop. [project details]

Bill provided "father-like encouragement and wisdom," and Dean and Paul provided "outstanding service when conducting dam investigations, reviewing permit applications, training dam owners and operators, and providing guidance in the development of new administrative rules and program guidelines."

- Edwin Matsuda, P.E., Section Head,
Flood Control and Dam Safety, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources

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Renewable Energy:
Hydroelectric Power

Hydroelectric energy constitutes the largest share of renewable-generated electricity in the United States.

Renewable energy technologies reduce greenhouse gases, guard against rising utility rates, minimize operating costs, and provide employment oppotunities. Stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) supports these initiatives.

Thanks to $6 billion in ARRA funding, the United States Department of Energy loan guarantee program is expected to support loans for renewable energy systems and hydropower and transmission technologies beginning construction prior to September 30, 2011.

Hydroelectric dams collect the energy from swiftly moving water to run turbines for electricity generation.

Hydropower, hydraulic power or water power derives from the force or energy of moving water. Hydropower creates hydroelectricity, which enables low-cost energy to be used at long distances from a water source.

Related new technologies under development have the potential to capture energy from rivers and oceans. Tidal power, for example, converts tide energy into electricity, while wave power transports energy by ocean surface waves.

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Water Supply Investigations:
Valuable Engineering Research

Safe yield studies provide important water supply system statistics on reliability and performance and facilitate regulatory compliance. Applicable for systems ranging in size and complexity, studies involve collecting extensive hydrologic and hydraulic data. A computer program can then simulate operations unique to the water system.

^ Computer program schematics and map of raw water supply system for Rivana Water and Sewer Authority in Virginia.

^ Custom graphical user interface for the city of Norfolk water supply system in Virginia.

Custom applications enable the evaluation and optimization of complex operating rules and instream regulatory flow requirements. Such studies can evaluate system expansions, provide water supply permit application data, aid with instream flow requirement negotiations, identify available surplus water, and enable development of drought contingency plans.

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Making a Sustainable Commitment:
An Ongoing Process

Collier County, Fla., Water Director, Paul Mattausch, recently delivered a presentation at the American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC-PA) Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Fla., discussing current drinking water industry topics.

Gannett Fleming staff prepared a portion of the presentation, which highlights the current plight of United States water and wastewater systems, green infrastructure, loan subsidies and water efficiencies including a Pennsylvania non-revenue water (NRW) project.

Mike Brown, P.E., will deliver the full NRW project presentation at the AWWA Annual Conference in San Diego, Calif., this June. Mike will discuss information technology as an innovative method to reduce NRW.

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Water Filtration Accolades:
Sustainable Growth

In addition to its process engineering accomplishments, the WFP will proactively manage and treat water from the Susquehanna River.

Steve Gerlach, P.E., [bio] will present an overview of the Fullerton Water Filtration Plant (WFP) and related Pilot Study at an American Membrane Technology Association workshop on "Membrane Applications in the Chesapeake Region" in Hunt Valley, Md., on May 20. The planned 120 million-gallons-per-day Fullerton facility and current membrane pilot plant project will dramatically enhance water distribution system reliability in Baltimore, Md.

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USSD Annual Meeting and Conference:
Dams and Geotechnical Engineering

Bill Bingham received the USSD "Lifetime Achievement Award" and Art Walz, P.E., delivered an International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) update at the 29th Annual USSD Meeting in Nashville, Tenn. As featured under news, Gannett Fleming staff was actively involved throughout the event.

Gannett Fleming speakers including Art, Dave Wilson, P.E., Mike Knight, P.G., William Roman, P.G., and Trent Dreese, P.E., delivered presentations on carbonate dam foundations from engineering and geologic perspectives. Both Dave and Trent spearhead the Gannett Fleming and Advanced Construction Techniques, Ltd. (ACT) IntelliGrout^® initiative described on the left.

"Dams on Carbonate Foundations in the United States" (Walz and Wilson).

"Characterization of Geologic Features Affecting Seepage Through Carbonate Dam Foundations" (Knight and Roman).

"Design, Construction and Performance of Seepage Barriers for Dams on Carbonate Foundations" (Dreese and Wilson). Also co-presented by Donald Bruce (Geosystems, L.P.).

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