EPDM rubber lining system chosen to save valuable irrigation water
Date
2004-10
Authors
Frobel, Ronald K., author
U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Abstract
The distribution of valuable irrigation water using some type of conveyance such as a canal has been in use for thousands of years. Due to excessive seepage loss, many types of lining systems have been used since early times including soil liners, paving bricks, bitumen and clay. With the development of polymers and the expansion of the plastics industry in the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's, sheet materials such as Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC-soft), Butyl and EPDM Rubber became popular in agricultural applications (Comer et.al, 1999). With the rapid development of the geomembrane industry in the 1970's and 1980's polymeric sheet materials were developed specifically for many civil applications including the waterproofing of distribution canals. EPDM rubber sheeting has proven to be one of the most durable and cost effective exposed synthetic lining system for use in canal rehabilitation. As a successful example of recent installations, the Tulelake Irrigation District (TID) located in Northern California installed over 4 miles of EPDM rubber lining under the guidance of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Historically, the TID has faced loss of deliverable water due to high seepage rates in unlined canals and laterals, approaching 50 percent in some cases. This, in addition to the drought conditions here and in other western and southwestern irrigation districts, has prompted the federal government to initiate a program for the selection and installation of low cost, low tech synthetic canal lining systems. This paper will focus on the selection, cost, installation methods and effectiveness of EPDM rubber canal lining systems as used in the TID emergency seepage control program. In addition, a Texas case history will illustrate the use of EPDM rubber for the repair of old, deteriorated concrete lined canals.
Description
Presented during the USCID water management conference held on October 13-16, 2004 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The theme of the conference was "Water rights and related water supply issues."