In October, Global Diving & Salvage was hired by Sierra Nevada Construction Inc. to repair a lake intake system near Cave Rock on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. The old HDPE intake pipe was 25 years old and needed to be removed and replaced.
Preparation
In preparation for the project, Global's experienced 6-person crew, began by placing a dive operations barge and crane platform on a four-point moor and anchors were utilized with enough range to travel across the work site as needed. Throughout the course of the project, the crew worked at varied diving depths and at an elevation of over 6000'; the crew began work at the shore and as the project progressed, they moved towards the central and deepest portion of the lake.
Removal & Installation
Once the old pipe was removed, the team performed the sinking and installation of new HDPE pipe. HDPE is an acronym for, high-density polyethylene. This material is one of the most environmentally stable of all plastics and has even been given the proud label of “eco-friendly”. Following this, the crew added a conduit going from shore to a shallow water intake station. Work at the shallow water intake station also included the installation of a booster pump, a check valve, and the transportation of an existing screen to the deep-water intake station.
Safety
One of Global’s top priorities is to maintain a safe environment for the crew and the site locations we work at. In example, safety inspections were conducted throughout the project as well as daily safety meetings before each workday.
Additionally environmental safety was achieved at the site through the action of debris removal and the installation of a silt curtain to mitigate any negative environmental impact.
The team worked efficiently and safely, taking logistical factors into account such as snow, high winds, and waves on the lake. Throughout the course of this project, snow was common, so there were days the crew began their day by de-icing and shoveling snow from boats and other equipment on the barge.
Despite weather conditions not being in full cooperation, the intake improvement was successfully completed ahead of schedule.
Congrats to our Northern California team on a job well done!
