A cooperative clay blanket seepage reduction

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:220192

Jacoby, S R ^[1]

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1. Benham-Holway Power Group, Tulsa, OK (United States)

Seepage through the natural north abutment at the Chimney Rock Dam had increased to the point where the dam`s regulators required extensive and immediate action. The Benham-Holway Power Group (BHPG) designed an economical and comprehensive remediation program for the seepage. The success of the engineer`s design is attributed to the cooperative involvement of the dam`s owner, the Grand River Dam Authority (Authority), the regulator, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the program`s board of consultants, Mr. Robert L. James and Mr. Allen O`Neill and a comprehensive background with the project`s previous repairs and the site geology. The owner construction and innovative design are believed to have saved the owner in excess of $8,000,000. A clay blanket seepage cutoff is not particularly innovative in itself. Numerous such cutoffs have been constructed. The concern with a blanket is its durability. FERC staff had valid initial concerns for the durability of a blanket at this location. Because of the potential economical advantage, they agreed to allow the blanket on a trial basis; the caveat for the Authority being the possibility of having to implement a more expensive grouting or cutoff program later. Because of the cooperative efforts of the engineers, owner, and regulator and the attention to detail in the design, the blanket has been extremely successful. Overall seepage, at the areas treated, has been reduced by over 50%. Seepage along the canal and the critical north abutment areas have been reduced by over 96% and 56%, respectively. Seepage on the face of the north abutment have been eliminated.

• OSTI ID: 220192
• Report Number(s): CONF-9507190--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

13 HYDRO ENERGY
DAMS
DIAGRAMS
EMBANKMENTS
LEAKS
MODIFICATIONS
OKLAHOMA
PUMPED STORAGE POWER PLANTS
REPAIR
WATER RESERVOIRS