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Aging Concrete Flume Undergoes Crystalline Rehabilitation

First constructed in 1950, the Jackson Gulch Reservoir is a vital resource to resident and visitors of the high mountain regions of Southwestern Colorado. It supplies much-needed water to 13,746 acres of agricultural lands and domestic water to Mesa Verde National Park, Mancos Rural Water Company and the town of Mancos.

When the Jackson Gulch Reservoir infrastructure began to show signs of wear and tear, its owner, the Mancos Water Conservancy District, was justifiably concerned. A condition assessment and recommendation report was prepared by Buckhorn Geotech.

The off stream reservoir is fed by the 2.6 mile concrete Inlet Canal that extends from the Mancos River. The Inlet Canal includes a one-mile U-shaped concrete flume that was showing signs of serious deterioration ranging from surface spalling of the floor and joint deterioration to wall blowouts and vertical wall cracks.

Per the district’s request, Buckhorn Geotech initiated a three-year program to test various membrane liners, only to find that conventional liner solutions were not ideal in this environment.

“In the event of a membrane leak, the ability to locate any penetration and create a clean moisture-free repair was a real concern to the district,” said Norm Aufderheide, an engineer with Buckhorn Geotech.

Buckhorn Geotech selected the Xypex spray-on crystalline waterproofing system for the project. The firm had successfully used the system on smaller concrete projects with similar deterioration problems. Blended into fresh concrete or spray-coated on existing concrete, the product can seal the paths by which water and aggressive chemicals penetrate, attack, and ultimately threaten the long-term integrity of a concrete structure.

“We selected the crystalline waterproofing system for the repair and protection of the concrete flume because it could be installed in confined spaces as well as the system’s ability to seal or heal itself should damage occur to the concrete surface from falling rock or routine maintenance in the coming years,” Aufderheide said.

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