SPLIT-RING COLLAR SUPPORTS OPERATING SHAFT
(Suggestion R3BC-58-133)

Outlet works at Hoover Dam, located on the Colorado River and
a part of the Boulder Canyon Project, include eleven 84-inch and twelve
72-inch needle valves which are hydraulically operated by use of water
at penstock pressure. The control stands are located on a floor above
the needle valves and the 4-way piston type control valves are located
under the needle valves. Shafting passing completely through the needle
valves is used for connecting the control stands to the 4-way control
valves.

The bearing that supports the lower section of the control
shaft is inside the 4-way control valve. Consequently, this section of
the control shaft must be supported from above before the control valve
can be dismantled. Because of the corrosive action of the Colorado
River Water, the piston-type valves must be dismantled and cleaned an-
nually. Cleaning operations include removing the loose rust and scale
which is deposited in
---~ Shaft to manually - operated the water passageways
handwh eel and removing a lime
coating which collects
on the machined sur-
faces.

<Shear pms A device that has
been permanently in-
--S pli fe rth talled on each of the
~ spit r E6626 ore Sarre ting large needle valves at
See Detail @ the Hoover Powerplant
and which has been
very satisfactory is a
split-ring collar shown
_-Needle valve body in the sketch at left.
Support for the lower
shaft in the manner
indicated was a sug-
gestion of Houston I.
Wheeler, Powerplant

— Mechanic, who head-
3 Sockebhead fs) quarters at Boulder
ma
ONT

---Shaft to hydraulic. Control valve
for needle Valve

co o
ap Serew City, Nevada.
%

People responsible
for maintaining needle

etal, valves of the type de-
pera @ scribed on other Bureau
HOOVER DAM works have probably en-
SUPPORT FOR CONTROL SHAFT countered similar prob-
ON NEEDLE VALVES lems and can depend upon

the suggested device
supporting the weight of the lower operating shafts.
2K OK ok ok
32



of material. Constructed of scrap material by O&M forces in 4 hours
of welding time, the idea saved in equipment operation and did a very
satisfactory job in meeting a maintenance need.

The method of spreading speeded up the truck haul, as the
trucks were able to travel over the spread material, where otherwise
the surface would not have been prepared for travel until all material
had been spread.

RK
NEW COMPRESSOR ADAPTED TO TRUCK MOUNTING

One of the leading manufacturers of air compressors has in-
troduced a 125-cfm rotary model adapted to mounting in a maintenance
truck with power for driving the compressor provided by the power take-

off of the truck.

This could be a
very convenient ar-
rangement for mainte-
nance crews needing
considerable quanti-
ties of compressed air
in their work, but who
for one reason or
another find it incon-
venient to trail a
conventional wheel-
mounted compressor.

Utilizing the
truck's power also re-
sults in a considerable
saving in first cost as
well as in equipment
maintenance cost. An
idea of the compactness
of the unit may be ob-
tained from the photo-
graph at left.

The cost of the
125-cfm rotary com-
pressor unit as shown
is about $2,700 in Denver, Colorado. The split shaft power takeoff to
drive the uni priced at about $400. Further information on this piece
of equipment may be obtained by writing the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation,
Code 400, Denver Federal Center, Denver 25, Colorado.

OR RK

23


cH s9512

prior to placement of the patch. The specimen broke cleanly through the
patch and block. There was no evidence of disbonding in the adhesive

layer or in the patch.

Bonding Old Concrete to Old Concrete

To obtain some
idea on how the epoxy-
polysulfide would per-
form as a bonding agent
between old concrete
and old concrete, two
3- by 3- by 1-1/2-inch
blocks were cemented
together, cured, and
then tested under im-
pact. The surfaces of
the two blocks were
cleaned, etched, rinsed,
and then dried. The
bonding agent was brush-
applied lightly to each
of the surfaces to be
joined, again follow-
ing recommended pro-
cedures. The blocks
were then placed to-
gether and left at room
temperature to cure,

No pressure was applied
to the joint during cur-
ing. After 6 days, the
impact test was made,
with the point of im-
pact being on the joint.

The photograph above shows the result of three impact blows on

the joint. No loss of adhesion is evident.
is as ifa single solid block were broken.

28

The break in the specimen


Denver Federal Center, Denver 25, Colorado.

OK OK OK

25

The mobility of
the ditcher is shown
in the photograph at
left. Attached to the
pick-up truck, it can
be moved from place to
place quickly and with
a minimum of effort or
lost time.

An example of the
clean job performed by
the piece of equipment
is shown in the two
lower photographs on
this page.

Mr. Persson re-
ports that the ditcher
will cost approximately
$1,500 f.0.b. the fac-
tory, plus extras that
may be required for at-
tachment. This year
the project was able
to clean approximately
150 miles of ditch and
surface drains at an
average cost of $8.00
per bank mile. The
one-man operation is
a saving in man power
alone of more than the
cost of the ditcher.
Work performance is
considered superior
to any other ditchers
the project has owned.

The ditcher is
not carried in stock
by the manufacturer,
but will be made up
on order in approxi-
mately 30 days. If
further information
is desired, write
U. S. Bureau of Recla-
mation, Code 400,


ONE-MAN DITCHER

Mr. Axel Persson, retired manager, Lower Yellowstone
Project, Sidney, Montana, states that one big advantage of the ditcher
shown below and on the following page is that it is coupled directly to
the power unit and hydraulically operated, making the work accom-
plished with the ditcher a one man operation.

Commenting further on the piece of equipment, Mr. Persson
states that there has been a need for improved mechanized maintenance
equipment to increase the efficiency in maintenance on irrigation sys-
tems and at the same time reduce labor costs to a minimum. Due to the
limited demand for certain types of maintenance equipment, manufacturers
have been slow in developing this type of equipment; however, more re-
cently, efficient and very useful equipment is now being developed. The
ditcher described and shown here and bank slopers described in previous
issues of the bulletin are comparatively recent equipment developments
aimed at irrigation maintenance problems.

The ditcher has two hydraulic controls; one on the plow and one
on the traveling gear. The dimensions of the ditcher are: 10.6-foot
blade, 10-foot wing spread, and 30-inch depth of blade. The ditcher can
be adjusted to clean any size ditch from 1 foot to 4 feet in depth, and can
be raised to clear the average structure or ditch bank that the power unit
can clear. The ditcher shown in this article and in use on the Lower Yel-
lowstone Project, is mounted on a crawler tractor. With the quick break-
away hose connections and hitch, the ditching unit can be dismantled in
two minutes.


the patches for the cylinders; No. 50 sand for the blocks. The patches
were 1/4-inch thick.

The patched cylinders were left at room temperature overnight,
then placed in a fog room for 4 days. The block specimens were placed
in a fog room for 4 days immediately after initial set had taken place
in the mortar patch. The specimens were air-dried for 1 day after re-
moval from the fog room before being subjected to test.

Impact tests, which are often used to evaluate the adhesion of
one material to another, were used in these preliminary evaluation studies.
The force of an impact blow causes disbonding proportional to the adhesion
when such factors as elasticity, flexibility, structure of the joining ma-
terials, etc., are considered. When similar topping layers are compared,
a correlation between impact resistance and adhesion exists. For the test,
a 600-gram steel ball was dropped onto the patch. The ball was dropped
from a height of 8 feet above the base of the specimen. Distance of travel
to the cylinder patches, therefore, was 6 feet 11-3/4 inches, and 7 feet
10-1/2-inches for the cylinders and blocks, respectively. The cylinders
were struck in two places; one on the patch over the chipped base area
and one on the unchipped base, each blow about 1-1/4 inches from the
edge of the cylinder. The block specimens were struck near the center
of the patch.

The control or
blank specimen, fab-
ricated by applying
mortar directly to the
surface to be patched
without a bonding
agent, as stated pre-
viously is shown at left.
A segment of the patch
was broken and dis-
bonded upon each im-
pact of the steel ball
on the cylinder patch.
The patch to the cyl-
inder after the epoxy-
polysulfide bonding
agent had been applied
as a brush coat to the
surface is shown in
the upper photograph on
the preceding page. No apparent damage was evident after impact on the
specimen and the points of impact can be clearly seen as depressions in
the patch.

The patch applied to the control or blank block specimen is
shown in the photograph at left on the following page. The patch was
completely disbonded from the specimen on impact and it will be noted
that a crack extends through the patch and block. The photograph at
right, also on the following page, shows the result of impact on the
block specimen the surface of which was treated with the bonding agent

27


CONTROL OF ALGAE AND BLACK FLY ATTACHMENT TO CONCRETE
FLUMES

Release No. 6 of the bulletin for September-October 1953 re-
ported problems encountered with algae and naiad concoons on concrete
flumes of the Black Canyon Canal, Payette Division, Boise Project,
Idaho. The problem continues to be a very troublesome one in that the
carrying capacity of the flumes is seriously reduced because of the at-
tachment of algae and concoons to the sides and bottom surfaces of the
flumes.

Several surface coatings have been applied to the concrete sur-
faces over the years to reduce the attachment of the foreign adherents;
among these are CTP-3 paint, catalytically-blown asphalt, and more
recently an antifouling paint. In addition to the paints and coatings of
asphalt, chemicals which inhibit or retard the growth of algae were
mixed with CTP-3 paint, and again more recently, a roof has been
placed over a short reach of one flume to determine the effect sun-
light has on the algae.

In commenting on the more recent attempts at control of both
algae and concoc: attachment, Mr. John Walker, Manager, Black Canyon
Irrigation District, who is responsible for the operation and maintenance
of the project facilities, states that covering the flumes will not control
the black-fly activity and that the concoons do appear in tunnels and
siphons. The infestation is usually heavier on rough surfaces. Turbu-
lence or high velocity of water flowing in the flumes and tunnels reduces
the problem.

The antifouling paint seems to inhibit the growth of the black-fly
concoons to some extent, but whether this is because of the characteristics
of the paint or smoothness of the surface has not been established by trials.
The heaviest infestation this past year has been in a tunnel 9 miles from
the head of the canal.

The antifouling
paint applied to the
bench flumes has given
generally good results.
The first flume immedi-
ately below the point
of diversion, Station
0+00 to 6+30, isin
fairly good condition,
as shown at left, and
the coating is expected
to last through another
year, the third irriga-
tion season since appli-
cation. The second
flume, Station 86+52 to
102+00, will have to be



freezing and thawing, and after normal aging. The more exacting
evaluation of those compounds and materials which show promise in im-
pact screening tests will be by shear bond tests similar to but smaller
than those used by Mr. Earl J. Felt, reported under "Resurfacing and
Patching Concrete Pavement with Bonded Concrete, "Highway Research
Board Proceedings, Volume 35, page 444, 1956.

Field Applications

On the basis of the tests made to date, and since other labora-
tory data are not available yet ona variety of compounds, the Bureau's
Laboratory has suggested the epoxy materials be used in limited ap-
plications for concrete repairs in the field. The bonding agents are
relatively expensive at present, one gallon of the material costing
about $20. That is enough material to treat about 250 square feet of
surface area. The filled patching materials of course are used at lesser
rates depending on the thickness of the patch to be applied.

It is suggested that all proposed trial applications be approved
by this office. Certain procedures and precautions must be followed
in the use of these materials. Proper handling is necessary to avoid
hazards to the health and wellbeing of personnel that come in contact
with them. Sources of the materials and proper handling directions can

30


Concrete Patching

A brief test was made on a catalyzed epoxy resin patching ma-
terial that had been made available. The material, which contains an
inert filler, was applied to a hole chipped in the top of a cylinder
specimen and as an edge patch to a chipped edge. After curing, the im-
pact tests were run.

Results of the im-
pact tests are shown in
the photographs at left.
No apparent damage is
evident in the center
patch. The concrete
base of the edge patch
broke rather than the
patch after three im-
pact blows. At the
left edge is a break
in the concrete edge
caused by one impact
blow on the original
| af concrete to the speci-
pxowso7 ie 3 3 men. Regular impacts

sas on these materials will
be made on specimens
similar to the mortar
patches, rather than
on a restrained patch.

The lower photo-
graph shows the broken
concrete base of the
edge patch sh
upper photograph at
right side.

The photograph on
the following page
part of a specimen
ricated for extension
tests and shows the

PX-0-14014 : z eye? ae break in the mortar
block rather than at
the interface or within

the resin mass when the specimen was broken. The material is the same
catalyzed epoxy resin compound used in the above cylinder patching tests.

Additional studies on the epoxy-polysulfide bonding agent, the
epoxy patching materials, and other materials for use as bonding agents
and patching materials are being continued in the laboratories, The
studies will include tests made after alternate wetting and drying, after

29


CONCRETE BONDING AGENTS

Tests preliminary to more exacting evaluation of concrete
bonding agents have been conducted by the Engineering Laboratories of
the Commissioner's Office, Denver, Bureau Reclamation. From these
preliminary tests some outstanding results have been obtained by using
an epoxy-polysulfide bonding agent.

mortar to old concre
bonding of old concrete to old concrete, and the pate f
crete, Of the materials included in the tests, the epoxy-polysu
ing agent proved superior to other bonding agents and generally
the bond to be stronger than the original concrete

oles in con-

de bond-

howed

Bonding Fresh Mortar to Old Concrete

mens w
tests,
6- by 1
and 3- by >
inch mortar blo
One half of the

der was chipped; tt
other half was left as
formed. The surfaces
to be patched (capped)
on all specimens were
then etched with a 5
percent hydrochloric
Px-D-14015 acid solution and rinsed.

Control specimens

on which the patch was
a applied without a bond-
ing agent were thoroughly
dampened prior to ap-
plication of the mortar.
Specimens to be patched
with the epoxy-poly-
sulfide bonding agent
were air-dried before
application of the
mortar patch,

The mortar for the
patch was a 2:1 sand-
cement dry-pack mixture.
No. 30 sand was used in

26


SPREADER BOX ON DOZER BLADE
(Suggestion R2-57-9)

A spreader box mounted on the dozer blade of a tractor was
constructed to spread roadway base material on the canal bank operat-
ing roads of the Lindsay Unit, Fresno Operations Field Branch, Cen-
tral Valley Project, California. The box provided a uniform spread
depth and width of material end dumped on the roadway from trucks,
and was a joint suggestion of T, R. Meyer, Canal Superintendent, and
Equipment Operators Lee Goodson, and J. B. McPhetridge.

With reference to the above photographs, the side panel of the
spreader box was constructed of 3/8-inch plate steel about 24 by 30
inches in size and further cut to fit and welded to the dozer blade with a
spread width of 10 feet. The side panels were later lengthened to about
4 feet to better carry the material in the spreading operation. (The
top of the side panels had not been cut off at the time the photograph
was taken.) The panels were braced with 3/8-inch by 2-inch strap iron,
extending from the midpoint of the panel to the dozer blade.

Shoes were welded to the outside of the side panels with the
bottom of the shoe flush with the bottom of the side panel 4-1/4 inches
below the dozer blade. The shoe cut into the roadway surface about
1/4 inch giving a finished spread depth of material of about 4 inches
and a sharp shoulder to the surfaced roadway.

Many improvements could be made in the box, according to the
project employees responsible for the idea and its fabrication. A
heavier steel angle, say 3/8-inch by 2-inch by 2-inch, at the top and
bottom of the panel would have been more satisfactory in preventing the
box from warping out of position when spreading around curves. Shoes of
different depth could be provided for spreading thinner or thicker layers

22


CLEARING FLOATING LOGS FROM RESERVOIRS

Winter storms bring a huge pile of logs and other debris into
Shasta Lake, the 4,493,000 acre-foot reservoir created by Shasta Dam
on the Sacramento River in northern California, and an integral part of
the Central Valley Project. The logs are a threat to navigation and a
menace to life and must be cleared away. Clearing is done by "snaking"
the logs by boat to shore where they are fastened to trees or other logs so
fastened, and where they can be burned when the water level in the res-
ervoir is lowered.

Faced with the big operation involved in clearing the logs
from the lake, Marine Foreman W. Evert Rice, Tugboat Operator
Arthur M. Parks, and Motor Boat Operator Meral A. Elliott, began
devising a means to do the work faster, easier, and ina less expensive
manner. They devised a hinged platform that enabled them to work at
water level from the boat while tieing the logs together; a drum to hold
scraps of wire used for tieing the logs together; and a jig for making eye
bolts from big spikes that are driven into the logs and through which wire
is threaded for the towing operation.

Water Level Working Platform

The working plat-
form shown in the photo-
graph at left swings
over the side of the
boat and provides a
platform on which a
crew member can stand
while driving bolts or
spikes into the logs
for towing to shore,
either one at a time
or several fastened
together. Without the
platform, the whole
operation would be ex-
tremely difficult and
hazardo because one
could not reach the
logs and drive the
bolts from deck level.

Eye Bolt Jig

Eye bolts of the
size necessary cost 25
cents or more each.
, By devising a jig from
pipe and by clipping
the heads off spikes

33


and deteriorating surface shown at right that has been in service for a
similar length of time, but exposed to the sunlight.

OR KKK

The photograph at
left shows the black-
fly cocoons adhering
to the concrete at the
inlet to a siphon, al-
though the concrete
surfaces were treated
with the antifouling
paint.

Preparations for
repainting must in-
clude the removal of
adhering algae and
cocoons as well as
loose deteriorated
concrete and other
foreign matter.

ALUMINUM MARKERS FOR TRANSMISSION TOWERS
(Suggestion R2-57-116)

As a result of a suggestion
of Electrical Engineer William
Eckhoff, that aluminum decals
be used in the marking of trans-
mission line towers, automotive
equipment and other property, the
Bureau's Regional Office in Sac-
ramento, California, decided to
try the idea for a year in the
marking of identification letters
and numbers on transmission line
towers, as shown at left.

Regional Supervisor of Irri-
gation and Power Martin Blote, has
announced that the tests have proved
the markers satisfactory and that
this method of marking is now being
used region-wide at a savings of
some $1,500 per year over the pre-
vious practice of stencilling the
identifying letters and numbers.

Further information on the use
of the markers can be obtained by

writing the Regional Director, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Sacramento,

California.

KK Kk
21


repainted again this spring. More difficulty is encountered in keeping
this second flume in condition. The antifouling paint has only served
for two irrigation seasons and it is contemplated that it will be painted
prior to the beginning of the irrigation season with the antifouling paint
at the rate of 1 gallon per 200 square feet.

Covering the
flumes with a shed
roof definitely has
advantages. The anti-
fouling paint in the
shade of the roof, as
shown at left, is in
much better condition
than that exposed to
the direct sunlight as
shown in the photo-
graph on the preceding
page. An estimate of
the annual cost of
maintenance with the
shed roof is close to
that for more frequent
painting.

It is estimated that the annual cost of painting is now $1.08
per linear foot of flume. The cost of the shed-type structure to cover
the flume is estimated to cost $20.00 per linear foot. Some painting
would have to be done under the sheds at about 6 to 7 year intervals.
Interest on the investment would have to be added to the cost as well as
the cost of maintenance. A distinct advantage, however, and an impor-
tant one, is that the shed could be constructed during the winter and it
would not be necessary to clean and paint the flumes during the rush
period just before the start of the water season, when weather suitable
for the painting operation permits.

In the photographs above, the condition of the paint with and
without the protection of the shed are illustrated. The smooth, adher-
ing paint under the shed in the left photograph, that has been in service
two irrigation seasons, is in sharp contrast to the scaling, peeling

20


be obtained by writing the Commissioner's Office, U. S. Bureau of
Reclamation, Denver Federal Center, Denver 25, Colorado.

OK OK KK

BASE PLATE FOR CURRENT METER ROD
(Suggestion R2-59-160)

A steel toothed, swiveled, current meter base plate for making
wading rod current meter measurements in the sloped concrete-lined canals
is being used on the Contra-Costa Canal System of the Central Valley Proj-
ect, California. The device is a suggestion of Donald J. Berry, Super-
visory Engineering Technician, of the Tracy Operations Field Branch.

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in the past during
current meter measurements of small flows by the wading rod method
in small, lined canals. The difficulty arose when the straight rod was
placed on the side slope of the canal and held in a vertical position. The
rod was susceptible to sliding down the steep, relatively smooth slope,
thereby causing erroneous readings of current and depth at a particular
station or interval being measured.

_--Standard base plate-with holding teeth

---Wading rod section

~-Swivel

Concrete lining~~_
RK oo
~

_

i
|
| .

The device consists of case hardened steel teeth on the bottom
of a metal base plate as shown in the sketch above and aids materially
in holding the rod steady on the sloping concrete. A swivel permits
positioning of the wading rod and current meter in a vertical position.

Holding the meter properly allows the hub bearing to turn freely on the pin.

KK KOK
31



with a bolt cutter, the spikes can be used instead of eye bolts, at a cost
of only about 4 cents each, which includes the cost of labor for bending
and cutting. The jig for bending the spikes and one of the finished
spikes are shown in the photographs below.

In addition to the saving in the cost of material, there was an
additional saving of time in the use of the pointed spikes which were
easier to drive into the logs. The U-shaped open end formed in the
spike made it possible to drive the spike into a log part way, and a tie
line, which may be holding several logs together, can then be snapped
under the hook end of the spike before driving it completely into the
log over the wire. With a closed eye-bolt, the end of the long towing
line would have had to have been threaded through the opening in the
eye-bolt.

Cable Drum for Holding Wire Scraps

Various kinds of scrap wire is used for tying the logs together--
old telephone wire, power line wire, fence wire, etc. There had to be
some device for holding and dispensing such scrap wire and the cable
drum made from scrap and shown on top of the boat cabin was fabricated
by the resourceful employees.

RoR KR

34

GPO 933308