Temporary dam for draft site

[neiowa]

Looking for ideas on temporary dam for use on small streams. Photos etc. Presew canvas and pike pole etc. Looking for ideas.

Have numerous potential sites on a small stream thru our fire district could draft from if had a temp dam to create a pool (2-3' deep). Will be using our new turbodraft.

[txgp17]

This looks like a great thread for "out-of-the-box" ideas.

[Geinandputitout]

I don't have a picture, but my hometown had a useful set-up.

It was an old salvage cover that had been water-proofed with some sort of miltary vulcanizing material. The bottom 1' had been sewn back on itself, and then filled with lead shot. (Please don't tell the DNR).

On either end canvas loops had been sewn onto the salvage cover.

The tarp and 5 long steel posts were stored with a post driver in a compartment on the "rural pumper".

The cover would be deployed with the lead shot down to the bottom of stream. Posts would be driven on either side of the stream, and one in the middle if the stream bed would support the post.

We found it was beneficial to throw a line in the ditch, away from the stream bed. If there was a delay b/w tanker fills the temporary dam was in danger of blocking too much water and failing if the water was not pumped off relatively quickly.

PS - It was a monster to deploy. Stupid Heavy, but it worked.

[neiowa]

I don't have a picture, but my hometown had a useful set-up.

It was an old salvage cover that had been water-proofed with some sort of miltary vulcanizing material. The bottom 1' had been sewn back on itself, and then filled with lead shot. (Please don't tell the DNR).

On either end canvas loops had been sewn onto the salvage cover.

The tarp and 5 long steel posts were stored with a post driver in a compartment on the "rural pumper".

The cover would be deployed with the lead shot down to the bottom of stream. Posts would be driven on either side of the stream, and one in the middle if the stream bed would support the post.

We found it was beneficial to throw a line in the ditch, away from the stream bed. If there was a delay b/w tanker fills the temporary dam was in danger of blocking too much water and failing if the water was not pumped off relatively quickly.

PS - It was a monster to deploy. Stupid Heavy, but it worked.

Any idea what dimension of tarp were?

[kuh shise]

Remove the 24 ft. extension ladder from the engine, along with a standard 12’ X 16’ salvage tarp. Locate a spot in the stream where the ladder will span the stream from bank to bank. (DO NOT EXTEND the LADDER) Make one full wrap around the ladder to lock the 12’ width of salvage cover in place around both beams. Get at least 2 pry bars and a flat head axe and drive the bars into the stream bed. It may be necessary to angle the ladder up stream to make it fit. The load on the ladder will approach 1,500 lbs but will be spread out and supported by one bank and two pry bars driven into the ground. Lastly sink the salvage cover into the stream keeping it spread as far up-stream as possible. The weight of the water on the cover will relieve some of the ladder pressure by securing the cover to the stream bed. It will be necessary to place some rocks on the leading edge of the salvage cover to prevent the stream flow from pushing the cover toward the ladder. It is usually beneficial to dig slots in the bank where the ladder will be inserted. Use naturally occurring boulders in the stream for additional support.
Where a culvert crosses under the road, use logs or a ladder vertically and use the same technique with a salvage cover to block up the stream.

[DFDCar1]

Take two roof ladders, jam the butt ends into the stream bank, and point the tips upstream to form a vee. Lay a tarp over it, and you will begin to build-up enough water to draft. Worked a wildfire in the Adirodack's a few years ago where the Trout Troopers (Environmental Police) ordered the local FD to remove this assembly from a stream, because it could "harm the trout". Never-mind the acres of land burning, the wildlife being chased off of the mountain, or the potential loss of homes, camps and lodges... they were there to save the fish!

[Geinandputitout]

Any idea what dimension of tarp were?

It was 14' to 15' wide, approximately 8' to 10' tall. I have emailed a couple of guys from home, and asked them to pull it out and take pictures. If / when I get them, I'll forward them to you.

[mcaldwell]

Remove the 24 ft. extension ladder from the engine, along with a standard 12’ X 16’ salvage tarp. Locate a spot in the stream where the ladder will span the stream from bank to bank. (DO NOT EXTEND the LADDER) Make one full wrap around the ladder to lock the 12’ width of salvage cover in place around both beams. Get at least 2 pry bars and a flat head axe and drive the bars into the stream bed. It may be necessary to angle the ladder up stream to make it fit. The load on the ladder will approach 1,500 lbs but will be spread out and supported by one bank and two pry bars driven into the ground. Lastly sink the salvage cover into the stream keeping it spread as far up-stream as possible. The weight of the water on the cover will relieve some of the ladder pressure by securing the cover to the stream bed. It will be necessary to place some rocks on the leading edge of the salvage cover to prevent the stream flow from pushing the cover toward the ladder. It is usually beneficial to dig slots in the bank where the ladder will be inserted. Use naturally occurring boulders in the stream for additional support.
Where a culvert crosses under the road, use logs or a ladder vertically and use the same technique with a salvage cover to block up the stream.

That's what we do. Works well enough.

I also keep a 3x3 piece of plywood on our truck, and if you can find a culvert, use the plywood to block it about 80%. Fills a pool right beside the road where you can side-draft and drive away easily. Just watch you don't block it completely and wash the road out.

[bfd732]

Small A-frame ladder (aka Little giant) locked in A position pointed downstream, properly secured to stream bed or structures, with salvage tarps tied around beams of each leg of ladder. You regulate flow of water thru apex of A by widening gap between tarps if pressure is too great to hold unit in place or close the gap to increase depth of drafting pool.

Never did it, just thinking outside of box with gear we have on our rig.

[hwoods]

Many, Many moons ago....... OK, back when I was 10 - 12 years old, Residents of the small village where my Grandmother lived built small Cinder Block Abutments in the Stream and had them arranged so that Planks could be inserted in a slot in each side to form a Dam. A pair of these structures wer placed about every 6-700 feet along the stream and were good for 500 gpm all year long.

[mcaldwell]

Many, Many moons ago....... OK, back when I was 10 - 12 years old, Residents of the small village where my Grandmother lived built small Cinder Block Abutments in the Stream and had them arranged so that Planks could be inserted in a slot in each side to form a Dam. A pair of these structures wer placed about every 6-700 feet along the stream and were good for 500 gpm all year long.

A good option, but around here it is tough to spit in the creek without 20 reams of paperwork, so permanent fixtures would cost about as much in engineering and studies as a new tractor drawn water tender.

[TNFF319]

What about deploying cribing, then drapping a tarp over it? you could use pike poles to stabilize. The other ideas sound much easier, but I thought I'd go outside the box.

[doughesson]

Take two roof ladders, jam the butt ends into the stream bank, and point the tips upstream to form a vee. Lay a tarp over it, and you will begin to build-up enough water to draft. Worked a wildfire in the Adirodack's a few years ago where the Trout Troopers (Environmental Police) ordered the local FD to remove this assembly from a stream, because it could "harm the trout". Never-mind the acres of land burning, the wildlife being chased off of the mountain, or the potential loss of homes, camps and lodges... they were there to save the fish!

As Ron White says,"You can't fix stoopid." but to show I am the exception to that rule,I'd never thought of doing that.It's so simple.

[HBofCJ]

About the same answer. We are always trying to identify new alternate water sources. Problem is out here that even in SW Oregon, creeks, streams and rivers come and go with the seasons.

The solution was to go around in the early winter at low water flows and dig down below the available water, concrete it in with rebar, install a 4" to 8" drafting hydrant (depending upon available flow) and cap it off.

We are always looking for fresh new sites as the Interface increases. Problem is the weather has changed and rural water supply is getting more iffy, not better. Hard to keep abreast. Thanks. HB of CJ