egarrard
07-15-2005, 02:53 PM
http://www.tempe.gov/lake/Lakehistory/dams.htm
http://www.tempe.gov/lake/images/Dams/damflow.jpg http://www.tempe.gov/lake/images/Dams/lakedam.jpg
The dams are made up of three main elements:
- a strong, flexible, rubber coated fabric tube which is fixed securely to a concrete base slab by clamping bars and anchor bolts
- an operating system which controls inflation and deflation of the tube
- an automatic safety device which ensures tube deflation in flood situations.
Each section of dam, or bladder, is about 240 feet long, weighs 40 tons and is more than one inch thick. At times, a small amount of water can be seen flowing over the top of the west dams, creating a 19-foot waterfall. This water is recaptured by a recycle system and pumped back into the lake.
The east dams are five feet high and sit on a two-foot cement base. The west dams are 16 feet high and sit on a three-foot base.
Each section of rubber is imbedded with a fabric mesh and ceramic chips and is designed to resist tearing. The rubber also contains a self-sealing material to re-close small holes. These dams are built to resist floodwater and debris flowing at 250,000 cubic feet per second (the highest recorded flood in Maricopa County is 200,000 cfs. in 1905. The most recent significant water release was recorded at 129,000 cfs. in 1993).
Tempe's dams are computer controlled and maintain air pressure of six pounds per square inch (an automobile tire holds about 35 psi). They can be controlled individually to within a half inch and can be lowered incrementally depending on the flood conditions.
The bladders have special ozone and ultraviolet ray protection for the southwestern climate and have been tested extensively for durability. They have a thin fin on top, which spreads water flow evenly over the surface of the dam. This patented design prevents swaying of the bladder and tearing from its structure. In some locations, these dams have been designed with airtight doors for people to enter into the bladder for dam tours. The Tempe Town Lake does not have interior bladder access.It brings a whole new meaning to "The dam has sprung a leak!"
http://www.tempe.gov/lake/images/Dams/damflow.jpg http://www.tempe.gov/lake/images/Dams/lakedam.jpg
The dams are made up of three main elements:
- a strong, flexible, rubber coated fabric tube which is fixed securely to a concrete base slab by clamping bars and anchor bolts
- an operating system which controls inflation and deflation of the tube
- an automatic safety device which ensures tube deflation in flood situations.
Each section of dam, or bladder, is about 240 feet long, weighs 40 tons and is more than one inch thick. At times, a small amount of water can be seen flowing over the top of the west dams, creating a 19-foot waterfall. This water is recaptured by a recycle system and pumped back into the lake.
The east dams are five feet high and sit on a two-foot cement base. The west dams are 16 feet high and sit on a three-foot base.
Each section of rubber is imbedded with a fabric mesh and ceramic chips and is designed to resist tearing. The rubber also contains a self-sealing material to re-close small holes. These dams are built to resist floodwater and debris flowing at 250,000 cubic feet per second (the highest recorded flood in Maricopa County is 200,000 cfs. in 1905. The most recent significant water release was recorded at 129,000 cfs. in 1993).
Tempe's dams are computer controlled and maintain air pressure of six pounds per square inch (an automobile tire holds about 35 psi). They can be controlled individually to within a half inch and can be lowered incrementally depending on the flood conditions.
The bladders have special ozone and ultraviolet ray protection for the southwestern climate and have been tested extensively for durability. They have a thin fin on top, which spreads water flow evenly over the surface of the dam. This patented design prevents swaying of the bladder and tearing from its structure. In some locations, these dams have been designed with airtight doors for people to enter into the bladder for dam tours. The Tempe Town Lake does not have interior bladder access.It brings a whole new meaning to "The dam has sprung a leak!"