HAB worked through more cool and rainy weather today to apply over 24,000 gallons of alum and buffer to nearly 39 acres of the lake. HAB’s application equipment is well-suited for the precision required for the Pinto Lake restoration project. Any gaps in coverage would allow for phosphorus from untreated lakebed sediments to leach into the overlying water column and stimulate future algal blooms. An onboard computer system ensures that application is complete and uniform by integrating the location of the barge with GPS, the barge speed, water depth and alum flow rates. The exact dose is programed into the software and inline flow sensors measure the flow of alum through the distribution lines in real time. Automated valves, which are controlled by the computer, open and close as needed to adjust for barge speed, location and depth to make certain the prescribed dose is applied. Tadd Barrow (HAB’s application specialist) follows a grid and each application path is recored and displayed on the guidance monitor to prevent gaps in the application. At the end of the project, HAB produces a coverage map showing every application path and confirms the complete coverage of the lake.
We also really appreciated the visits and interest from even more agency staff today. It takes a lot of hard work, commitment and collaboration to make a project like this happen!
