Personnel unrolled the primary 8ft tall by 260ft long single closed end (SCE) AquaDam®, featuring a 17ft filled width and integrated connection collar. These collars facilitate seamless coupling between multiple units. While the initial strategy proposed starting mid-river using a double closed end (DCE) unit, the plan was modified to accommodate site-specific environmental restrictions that prohibited heavy equipment access within the Santa Ana River.

Successful installation of a SCE AquaDam® requires a starting bank of sufficient elevation. The open end and fill-tubes must be maintained at a height exceeding the unit's maximum inflated height relative to its entire designated path. It’s critical to note that the AquaDam® will only achieve its full height at the lowest topographical point of the installation.

The first 8ft tall by 260ft long SCE AquaDam® has been fully unrolled, and the crew has begun filling it using water from the Santa Ana River.

The next AquaDam® has been positioned atop the first unit. AquaDams® are shipped rolled like a carpet on a wooden beam, secured with a protective covering and equipped with lifting straps. In this case, the covering and straps have already been removed. Visible at the open end of the first AquaDam® are the fill-tubes, complete with blue discharge hoses, ready for use.

The crew unrolled the majority of the second AquaDam® to expose the fill-tubes and allow the unit to be floated into position within the shallow water. This dam is an 8ft tall by 155ft long DCE AquaDam®, featuring two connection collars, and it will be installed under the bridge, aligned parallel to the river’s flow. Originally, this DCE AquaDam® was intended to be installed first; however, restrictions prohibited the use of heavy equipment within the Santa Ana River.

The fill-tubes of the DCE AquaDam® have now been exposed. Each tube is equipped with a 3in blue discharge hose and a 3in green PVC rigid suction hose. AquaDams® are shipped pre-rolled and include pull ropes to facilitate controlled unrolling.

Once a sufficient length of the secondary AquaDam® was unrolled, the unit achieved the necessary surface area to be floated into its designated alignment. The lightweight, high-tensile flexible membranes allow for low-draft navigation when the internal chambers are empty, facilitating positioning in the presented water depths. Simultaneously, the primary SCE AquaDam® continues its inflation cycle, maintaining site stabilization while the crew maneuvers the subsequent unit into position.

Personnel have attached the DCE AquaDam® to the SCE unit utilizing a connection collar. Standard operating procedures are to place a SCE's open end over the stationary closed end within the collar, site-specific constraints necessitated a modification. In this configuration, the DCE unit’s integrated collar was threaded through the receiving collar of the SCE unit; the DCE’s closed end was then positioned directly atop the SCE’s internal closed end, within the collar, to establish the seal.

Upon returning to the site the following morning, personnel confirmed that the primary and secondary 8ft tall AquaDam® units have achieved full inflation. Both barriers are currently operational, successfully maintaining the designated head pressure and site isolation as specified in the project’s hydraulic requirements.

Looking upstream along the Santa Ana River, the final phase of the AquaDam system is underway. Personnel are prepared to deploy an additional 8ft tall by 260ft long SCE AquaDam® at the upstream terminus of the bridge. This unit is proposed to complete the hydraulic isolation for the bridge structure.

An analysis of the starting bank for the first 260ft long SCE AquaDam® indicates that the unit has not achieved its full rated height. By design, an AquaDam® maintains a perfectly level crest across its entire span; consequently, it will only reach its maximum rated height at the lowest topographical elevation along its designated path. At all higher elevations, the unit’s base tapers upward to conform to the existing slope while the top remains horizontally consistent.

Looking downstream toward the Pacific Ocean, the connection and initial turn completed the previous day are visible. The presence of wrinkles along the top surface of the DCE AquaDam® indicates that the unit has not yet reached full capacity and can be further filled to increase its height.

Workers have launched the third 8ft tall AquaDam®. This unit is a 260ft long SCE model equipped with a connection collar. The open end has been secured by tying it back to an anchor point on shore, ensuring control of the dam’s starting end during deployment.

The third 8ft tall AquaDam® has been fully unrolled to its entire 260ft length; however, this was not sufficient to close the cofferdam system. It is always recommended to purchase additional length when planning an AquaDam® installation, as a unit that is too short cannot form a functional cofferdam.

The crew attempted to close the remaining gap using 3f tall AquaDams®. These units had been brought to the site as potential support dams, intended to reinforce the 8ft tall AquaDams® on the work-area side. One 3ft tall, 7ft wide (when full), 50ft long SCE AquaDam® has already been installed, and the crew is currently filling a 3ft tall, 25ft long DCE AquaDam®. During the filling process, ropes are used to secure the AquaDams® to one another to maintain alignment and prevent separation.

Workers have begun installing another 3ft tall, 25ft long DCE AquaDam®. Smaller AquaDams® are shipped rolled up like a carpet and wrapped in a protective covering, with lifting straps sewn into the outer wrap to facilitate handling and placement during deployment.

A worker is securing the fill-tubes after completing the fill of the second 25ft long, 3ft tall DCE AquaDam®. It is essential to elevate and properly secure the fill-tubes on all AquaDams® to prevent leakage during operation. On DCE units, the fill-tubes are positioned on top of the dam body, allowing the unit to remain free-standing without relying on a bank for support.

The first two 8ft tall AquaDams® have been fully filled, and workers are finishing the fill of the third unit. The three 3ft tall AquaDams® placed in the gap are only intended as a temporary measure, as they are rated to control a maximum of 30in (2.5ft) of combined mud and water depth. Their purpose here is simply to provide short-term containment until a properly sized primary barrier can be installed.

A few days later, crews returned to the Santa Ana River to install an 8ft tall, 75ft long SCE AquaDam® equipped with a connection collar to close the remaining 40ft gap. Both of the adjacent AquaDams® in this area are also fitted with connection collars, allowing the new unit to be integrated directly into the existing system.

The crew has fed the fill-tubes of the 75ft SCE AquaDam® through the DCE unit’s connection collar and set its closed end into the collar of the 260ft SCE AquaDam®. The DCE’s closed end serves as the starting bank for the SCE unit, with the collar creating a sleeve-like bond between them. The fill-tubes pass through openings in the collar so they can be filled from atop the DCE AquaDam®.

The 8ft tall by 75ft long SCE AquaDam® is now nearly fully filled. As the unit continues to take on water, both connection collars it was installed into will tighten around the dam body, creating a secure, compression-based seal between all three AquaDams®.

While connections are sometimes necessary, minimizing their number is preferable. Connections can be potential sources of seepage, so it is highly recommended to use a single continuous AquaDam® whenever possible. In many cases, however, site constraints—such as geographical features or physical limitations—make it impractical to deploy a single unit.

The final 8ft tall SCE AquaDam® has reached its full design inflation, achieving a uniform crest elevation consistent with the existing units. To address inherent seepage at the connections, personnel are currently deploying sandbag barriers at each connection collar. These localized structures are to effectively mitigate interstitial seepage into the work area.

The fully installed AquaDam® provides a stable platform for workers, pumps, hoses, and other equipment, ensuring safe and efficient operations. Excellent work by the entire crew!