Griffin Fluid Management

Saylorville Lake/Big Creek Dam Project

Polk County, Iowa

OWNER

US Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District

TIME

2015-2017

D.CaseStudies Saylorville Dam 3 1024x768 1

GRIFFIN DIFFERENCE

The eductor dewatering system controlled groundwater and allowed construction to be conducted in a safe and efficient manner. Griffin worked seamlessly with all necessary parties and complied with all dam safety requirements to complete this job.

THE CHALLENGE

The Saylorville/ Big Creek Dam remediation project required construction of a new Outlet Control Structure that controls the outflow of water from Big Creek Lake and is one of several flood-control structures that protects Polk City from flooding. Construction of a cofferdam on the Lake side of a dam required an excavation subgrade of 63 ft. below normal pool of the lake for the repair and replacement of the existing outlet structure.

THE SOLUTION

Griffin designed and furnished all equipment for the installation of an eductor dewatering system to replace the lake’s long-damaged gate system. The system was installed inside the ±116 ft. x 36 ft. wide cofferdam, to aid in repairing the damaged outlet works.

Griffin installed 28 eductors to a depth of up to 100 ft. and drilled the eductor wells utilizing a floating plant on the outside of the cofferdam. A crane moved the drill rig throughout the site on top of special bracing installed across the top of the cofferdam.