PCB Contamination
Cleanup
- Overview
- OU 1
- Progress Reports
- OUs 2-5
- Demonstration Projects
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- Capping
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Natural Resources Restoration (NRDA)
Fox River Current [exit DNR]
Reports & Documents
- Reports & Documents
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Geotubes How did they do that?
During and after a geotube is filled, the water passes through the geotube material and onto the dewatering pad. Eventually the water will flow down to a sump where the water will be pumped into a water treatment facility.
Notice the water leaving the geotube.
The dewatering pad under construction. You can see the geotextile fabric held in place temporarily with sandbags while it is sewn together. Underneath the geotextile fabric there is a high-density plastic liner, and then a layer of clay for even more added protection. Gravel will then be filled in as it is over the rest of the pad. The pipe "manifold" (seen in the upper left area of the gravel pad) that will be connected to the geotubes is laid on top of the gravel as shown..
Another view of the pad under construction. The pipe comes from the dredge over the berm at left. On top of the berm there are various flow meters and pipes that allow the introduction of additives that help the sediment de-water better. From there the water flows down to the geotubes. In this picture you can see the first geotube being laid out and connected to the pipe "manifold".
The water drains out of the geotubes, down through the gravel, and then down to sump located at the lowest point of the pad. When the sump fills up, pumps (large and orange in the foreground) automatically turn on and pump the water into the treatment plant.
A picture of geotubes that are completely filled and passively dewatering or "aging." The tubes in the background have been stacked 4 tubes high. This was done in the 2004 season due to space limitations, and also to evaluate how the tubes would dewater when compressed by other tubes on top. The large tube in the foreground to the right is another experimental tube that could be filled higher and hence allow more sediment to be dewatered in the same space without stacking.
A view of the pipe manifold and some full geotubes. Note the pinch valves on the rubber pipe, which allow the operators to direct the flow to different bags.
Last Revised: Wednesday March 02 2005
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