Open Channel Conveyance
A Revolutionary Water Management System
All around the world, traditional methods of moving large volumes of water, such as from rivers to farmland, typically involve concrete or earthen channels. These types of channels, however, lose water into the ground. On the other hand, earthen channels are relatively easy to deploy. When the price of water was cheap, customers were willing to make this trade-off between higher water loss and lower channel cost.
Today, climate change and water shortages have altered the economic equation by significantly raising the cost of water loss. At the same time, inflation has also raised the cost of maintenance required. Labor is more expensive and concrete is more expensive. Moreover, with frequent weather anomalies causing the earth to shift, concrete does not serve as well – cracks in concrete channels lead to water loss.
In addressing the changed economics of open channel conveyance, ALD Liner provides liner solutions for large, medium and small channels. ALD Liner solutions reduce water loss and maintenance costs.
ALD Liner Features
ALD liners use a patented design and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material to deliver water efficiently with essentially zero losses due to leakage. The liner also provides puncture and abrasion resistance, chemical resistance and top-level performance even in freeze and thaw cycles. Further, a mechanical connection between liner sections also allows for a small degree of movement in the soil. Finally, ALD Liner is easy to install: a small crew using only hand tools can cover more than 500 linear feet per day.
Initial Launch
In October 2023, ALD personnel worked with Ferguson LLC, the largest distributor of plumbing and water products in the United States to deploy the ALD Liner solution in Avon, Colorado. The problem to be solved was that Nottingham-Putter Ditch users were not getting the 2 CFS of water allotted by the government from the Eagle River.
Validated Results: On May 13, 2024, the City of Avon tested the results of the ALD Water Management System after six months of deployment. The ALD Liner System was 97.3% effective in preventing water loss. 3.7 CFS of water was diverted from the river into the top of the ditch, and 3.6 CFS of water was delivered to the end of the ditch in less than an hour.
