LOCATION: Orillia, Ontario Canada
SCOPE OF WORK: Supply & Installation of AquaDam® Flood Control System
PROJECT PARTNERS:
Owner: Home Owner on Young Lake
Installation: Layfield Canada Ltd.
Background Information and Challenge
Each year lakefront home and cottage owners in Ontario face off with the forces of Mother Nature. Spring flooding and significant rain events are becoming more common, and with the construction of homes and cottages near water bodies, make these locations vulnerable to variable water levels. Homeowners often are left to fend for themselves without insurance coverage to protect their properties from rising waters at significant risk and expense. Often property owners will use sandbags which in some cases are provided by the municipalities to create temporary flood control berms that require substantial time, labor and money to construct. Once the high water conditions subside, there is significant clean up needed to return the sand and bags back to the landfill as this material can be classified as contaminated soil.
The owner faced a similar problem each year. High water levels often threatened the picturesque lakefront property on Young Lake in Sebright Ontario during the spring thaw. Each year the owner would enlist the forces of their children and neighbors to construct a flood control barrier using hundreds of sandbags. On average it takes approximately 4500 sandbags to build a 3’ high x 100’ long sandbag cofferdam. In 2014 the owner was introduced to AquaDam Rapid Response System which was on display at Battlefield Equipment Rentals in Bracebridge, Ontario. They reached out to Layfield to collect more information on the system and assessed the property for feasibility and budget for the supply and installation of an AquaDam Flood control system. The 2014 water levels did not result in a flood and life returned to normal.
During the spring of 2016, the lake levels once again returned to dangerous levels. The owner dreaded the idea of once again having to construct another sandbag cofferdam to protect their home, not to mention the significant labor, cost and time off work required to build the temporary dam. They decided this time around to contact their local AquaDam Application Specialist and inquired about the availability of flood control dams to protect their homes.
March 31, 2016 Timeline of Events
- 10:45 am Owner contact Layfield and inquired about the AquaDam Flood Control System. A preliminary discussion about feasibility, urgency, and site condition took place with Darlene and Layfield AquaDam Application Specialist. An AquaDam Assessment form was provided to Darlene
- 12:00 pm The AquaDam Assessment form was completed and return to Layfield for review
- 12:30 pm Layfield AquaDam Application Specialist reviewed the application and provided a quotation for supply and installation services for approx. 150’ of 3’ high AquaDam
- 1:30 pm The client placed the order with Layfield
- 2:30 pm Layfield installation crews mobilized to the site which was approx. 90min north of Toronto with necessary fuel, 3’ Gas Powered Pumps and AquaDam Flood Control Dams required to protect the home
- 4:00 pm Layfield Rapid Response crews arrived on site and began deployment
- 6:30 pm Flood Control AquaDam was installed on-site and protecting the home.
- Midnight April 1, 2016– A significant Thunderstorm and rainfall event passed through the Orillia area during the evening. There was 8” of water up against the AquaDam the next day that would otherwise have flooded the owner's basement.
Solution and Results
AquaDam Rapid Response crews treat emergency flood situations with priority. In this case, within 4 hours from the time of the client contacting Layfield and completion of the AquaDam application assessment form, the system was delivered to the site and deployed to defend the home from rising water levels. We encourage flood risk property owners to assess their sites for the feasibility of AquaDam to help protect their property. The AquaDam is a site-specific flood control tool that is designed to be installed by the owner in advance of approaching high water. Having an action response plan in place with an AquaDam on site will increase your chances to successfully defend against the effects of flooding.
