FloodBreak® Floodgate protects FEMA funded Water Treatment Plant in Nebraska

Client

City of Blair, Nebraska

Location

Blair, Nebraska

Installation Date

2015

After the 2011 Missouri River flooding event that cost the City of Blair over $4 million, and a near miss in 2014, Blair used FEMA Mitigation funding to permanently construct flood control berms with a FloodBreak passive automatic flood barrier to protect the city water treatment plant from future flooding events.

Background

The Water Treatment Plant in Blair, Nebraska, plays a critical role in providing clean and safe water to the surrounding community. However, the facility faced significant flood risks that could compromise operations and impact local residents’ water quality and health.

After the 2011 Missouri River Flood, Blair retained HDR to begin work on a FEMA Mitigation funding application to construct a permanent flood control berm, pumping station, site utility work for the flood control berms and generators for the water treatment plant, water intake structure and wastewater treatment plant. Approval was granted by FEMA in July 2014.

Solution

A passive FloodBreak® flood barrier was selected as the closure device in the flood control berm to protect the plant while still accommodating vehicular traffic on the two-lane road adjacent to the facility. The floodgate was designed to support HS-25 vehicular loads and flood loads to the 6.5″ flood elevation. In 2015, a 38’ x 6.5’ FloodBreak® floodgate with a hydraulic lift was installed at the new pump station. The FloodBreak flood barrier system ensures 24/7 protection without human intervention while allowing a local two-lane road to remain functional. The hydraulic lift allows a single operator to lift the barrier instantly for standard operating procedures and/or scheduled maintenance.

Results

FloodBreak® systems are trusted for their reliability, rapid deployment, and seamless integration with existing infrastructure. The Blair Water Treatment Plant project exemplifies how FloodBreak solutions solve flood protection challenges without compromising accessibility or operations.

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