Unique Weir Installation

I am glad to be getting measuring devices and data loggers installed – it is enjoyable work and diverters are getting peace of mind.  All of my work is confidential so clients’ names won’t be mentioned without permission.  That being said, a few projects can be discussed here.

This is a unique weir installation – it is doing two things at once.  Two 4′ wide weirs are side by side, set on a leveled, compacted base of 3/4″ minus road base.

First, it has a splitter built in as part of the weir – see the low wall behind me.  Two water rights are precisely split inside the weir itself so each user gets the correct amount.

Second, it is a double weir.  The ditch has low banks, but around 10 cfs needs to be accurately measured.  Weirs ideally pass a maximum of 1 cfs per foot of width, so this exceeds that by 25%, while still keeping the water inside the ditch.  So, why use weirs instead of a flume, which can pass much more flow per foot of width?  Weirs are better understood in this area, the ditch has adequate width, and it makes splitting the flows easier.

A plate metal wall splits the 2 weirs into 3.  Board slots were added with angle iron…you can guess from the photo that the iron lengths had to be cut down a bit for a 1-board, 2″ x 12″ weir.

 

 

Board slots had to be bolted on both sides of the plate steel.  My friend Bob, owner of B & J Welding & Machine, Inc. in Anderson, cut, welded and drilled the plate steel wall.

A water level logger sits at the back of the shared weir walls, and records hourly water levels 24 x 7 x 365.  Vandalism is a concern so the logger is locked up, and only the owner and I can get in.

1/4″ thick plate metal wingwalls upstream and downstream protect against flow working its way around the sides.  The wingwalls add stability, keeping the weirs from tipping sideways or tilting up- or downstream.

The final result is s solid, long-lasting installation that meets the requirements of SB 88!

Published by

AllWaterRights - Rights To Water Engineering, Inc.

Solving Diverters' Headaches To Provide Peace Of Mind And Help Stay Out Of Trouble. Helping California residents understand, define, and protect their water rights since 2005.

Leave a Reply