Ashland Water Utility New Water Intake

Michels upgraded a municipal raw-water intake system for the city of Ashland, WI, replacing 4,200 linear feet of 24-inch-diameter ductile iron pipe and installing a 19-foot-by-19-foot-by-8-foot wooden crib. Our divers installed the pipe in 60-foot sections, adjusted the final pipe invert elevations and alignments, verified pressure tests on each installed segment, and squared and centered the crib to its final elevation.

The work was performed in depths of up to 45 feet of water in sand and clay sediments and tied into a water treatment plant on Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay. The nearly 200 commercial dives resulted in zero lost-time incidents, despite the often-rough waters and limited visibility.

The shoreline tie-in was performed in the dry with a coffer cell system, while the offshore system segments were trenched.

Turbidity, aquatic species, and environmental conditions were controlled through a floating curtain system built specifically for this installation. All work was accomplished according to AWWA, USACE, OSHA, USCG, and ADCI aquatic environmental standards. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) captured video of the internal and external as-built water supply system prior to turning the completed system over to the owner.