Is Your Flood Control Pipe Leaking?

Galvanized flood control pipes have a reputation for rusting and leaking.  It’s just a matter of time until a weak point breaks.  The biggest concern–what level of damage occurs.

Has an aging flood control pipe rusted?

One example is a 20-acre lake in North Texas.  It was 20-years old.  The flood control standpipe was 18-feet tall with an 8-foot diameter.  The standpipe was welded to a 5-foot diameter pipe through the dam that emptied into the main creek channel. During a flood event, a weld in the below photo blew-out.  The proud lake drained within hours.  Original infrastructure could not be repaired.  The standpipe was removed.  The 5-foot section through the dam was sealed with concrete.  Two spillways were enlarged to manage future floods.

Closely monitor and inspect old systems.  If weakness occurs, seal them and install efficient siphons.  Siphons are constructed with strong PVC materials for long life.  When water levels rise, they draft stagnant water approximately 6-feet below the surface.  Standpipes drain off fresh water from the surface.

Replace with an efficient siphon system.

If repairing your flood control system is a New Year’s resolution, please don’t delay. Contact us to discuss.