Canal Rehabilitation Design
Kleinschmidt inspected the Black River Hydro System as part of a regular dam safety review and observed a concentrated seep along the Gaspereau Canal and an area of slope instability along the White Rock Canal. Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (NSPI) requested that Kleinschmidt address the seepage and potential stability issues at the sites and design repairs to meet recommended factors of safety and critical gradients.
Kleinschmidt geotechnical staff performed stability analysis of a portion of the White Rock Canal and performed stability and seepage analysis of a portion of the Gaspereau Canal. Our analysis indicated the White Rock Canal slopes did not meet the Canadian Dam Association recommended factors of safety while the Gaspereau Canal had high exit gradients and needed repairs to address the unfiltered seepage at the downstream toe. Kleinschmidt developed design modifications for the White Rock Canal that consisted of a downstream filtered chimney and blanket drain as well as a stability berm while the Gaspereau Canal required a filtered chimney and blanket drain. We prepared design reports, drawings, and specifications, opinions of probable construction costs for both canal modifications, and provided construction support. Construction was completed on both projects in 2017.
Kleinschmidt’s design provided means for reducing NSPI’s risks by increasing the stability factors to meet the Canadian Dam Association’s recommended factors of safety.