Trash Pumps using Spill Prevention Control and HDPE Pipe Bypass Fragile 173 Year Old Dam

The fall of 2005 was one of the wettest seasons in New England’s recorded history.  The incoming rainfall, coupled with the already surcharged reservoir system, was proving to be a challenge for local municipalities especially in Taunton, Massachusetts.  The tragic floods in Alstead, New Hampshire were a reminder that many streams, rivers and dams in the area were at risk of flooding and failure.  Any more rainfall would certainly cause additional flooding. The city of Taunton, Massachusetts was one community that was not taking chances. The city is touted as being the United States’ first Iron Works.  Built in 1652, it still stands as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.  Downstream from Taunton lies the Whitten Dam, a timber built structure that has successfully held back the water of the Mill River for 173 years … until recently.

In mid October, 2005, the rising water level upstream put excessive pressure on the wooden structure.  Downstream from the dam, the channel of the Mill River gets quite narrow.  If the dam failed, the city leaders feared that it could unleash a 6 foot high wall of water.  As a precautionary measure, 1,800 local residents and businesses were evacuated due to the threat of failure. 

A majority of dams in Massachusetts are still privately owned and maintained by landowners.  It is the responsibility of the owners to regularly maintain and schedule inspections on all reservoirs.  Despite regular inspections, numerous dams are quite antiquated and in need of major repairs or replacement. 

It had been two years since the Whitten Dam was inspected and deemed to be in good working order.  Unfortunately the high water levels proved to be too much for the floodgates to be lifted and the manual cogs and gears were unable to function because of the excessive water pressure on the dam.  To alleviate the pressure and allow inspection of the structure, Emergency Management Officials contacted Rain for Rent for a solution. 

Dick Pilotte, Branch Manager, and Matt DelMonte, Sales Representative, assessed the situation and suggested a pumping system that consisted of three, DV-300i Sound Attenuated (SA) and two, DV-200c Power Prime^TM pumps that moved 30,000 GPM from the upstream portion of the dam and reduced the hydraulic pressure on the structure.  To maximize the flow and keep pipeline velocities at a safe level, Rain for Rent Engineers designed the system using fusable HDPE piping for all suction and discharge assemblies.  This allowed access to the mechanical portion of the dam, so the floodgates could be raised and the dam slowly disassembled.

Within an hour of notification to proceed, Rain for Rent assembled an emergency response team and worked overnight to install the system that pumped the 30,000 GPM of water around the dam. The U.S Army and Reserves provided additional help with hoses and fittings on site.  If heavy equipment was preoccupied, the Army and Reserves helped to manually move large hoses to hasten assembly time.

Overnight the two DV-200c and three DV-300i SA pumps efficiently moved the water around the dam, alleviating 10% of the water flow, which allowed access to the floodgates for careful removal of the old dam.  As a safety precaution a secondary dam, constructed of large boulders, rip-rap and 48 inch concrete conduit was installed to reduce the risk of failure as the old dam was removed.

Rain for Rent provided on site pump operators and mechanics for the duration of the project to ensure the system ran smoothly. 

In the aftermath of the fall rainy season encountered in New England, Rain for Rent helped design and install bypass sewer systems, pumped basements, and assisted with infrastructure repairs for local contractors and municipalities with their extensive fleet of self-priming pumps, knowledgeable staff, and 24-hour emergency service.