Tempe Town Lake Project Rubber Dam Design/Construction/Operation/Repair


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Tempe Town Lake Project Rubber Dam Design/Construction/Operation/Repair

Resource Type ASDSO Conference Papers
Title Tempe Town Lake Project Rubber Dam Design/Construction/Operation/Repair
Author/Presenter Livingston, John
Boyd, Basil
Allard, David
Pedri, Chuck
Organization/Agency Association of State Dam Safety Officials
Publisher Association of State Dam Safety Officials
Year 2004
Date Sept. 26-30, 2004
Event Name Dam Safety 2004 - 21st Annual Conference
Event Location Phoenix, Arizona
ASDSO Session Title More Innovative Materials & Technology
ISBN/ISSN ISSN: 1526-9191 (Hardcopy)
Topic Location Arizona
Abstract/Additional Information The Rio Salado Town Lake Project includes features that provide recreation and aesthetic benefits to the formerly dry Salt River located on the north side of Tempe Arizona. Two inflatable rubber dams and associated shoreline trails, bike paths, rest areas and boat ramps provide recreation opportunities to local and out of town visitors. The initial vision of restoring the river channel began at Arizona State University School of Architecture in 1966. Feasibility studies began in 1992 and construction occurred between 1997-99. This $42 million project includes an 800-foot long rubber dam consisting of 4 separate 16-foot -high rubber bladders separated by reinforced concrete piers. As one of the largest applications of inflatable rubber dams in the United States, this dam sets on a 30 feet thick foundation of reinforced and a roller compacted concrete. Two miles up the lake a second rubber dam which is 6-feet high set on a concrete foundation. Town Lake covers approximately 180 acres and is partially surrounded by a soil-bentonite slurry cutoff wall to reduce seepage losses. Recovery wells located outside the reservoir return seepage water to the lake. Operational since 1999, the lake is functioning as planned. Repairs to the rubber bladders were conducted by the dam manufacturer in September, 2002. These repairs, which required lowering the bladders, were possible without emptying the lake by using a cofferdam system included in the original design. Pedestrian trails supported by retaining walls and soil cement slope protection are landscaped to blend in with surrounding features. 14 pp., 5 figures.
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