Utility Structures

Locate, design, and color pumphouses and water and sewage treatment
plants to recede into their surroundings. Use adequate screening
and control spray field or other effluent outfall to avoid water-
shed contamination. These suggestions include water and sewage
treatment plants, oxidation ponds, lift stations, incinerators, and
maintenance and chlorinator buildings.

Maintain oxidation ponds devoid of plant material at flow line,
screen and properly fence these ponds from public view, install
sewage lift stations in underground vaults where possible, and screen
with plant material when above ground. Locate incinerators unob-
strusively but generally related to maintenance facilities. Main-
tenance buildings should be painted with earth colored paints and

the present extensive use of aluminum pigments minimized.

Hydraulic Structures

There are innumerable ways to improve the appearance of dams, pump-
ing stations, penstocks, surge tanks, canals, storage ponds, deten-
tion reservoirs, spillways, diversion tunnels, siltation ponds,
boat docks, boat harbors, water storage tanks, siphons, levees,
existing waste banks, and like facilities. Modify external appear-
ance of dams and powerplants; i.e., texture and finish, by seeding
and planting shallow-rooted shrubbery on downstream slopes of earth-
fill dams in those areas where such treatment can be applied with
satisfactory results. Canal treatment should include acquisition
of additional right-of-way for proper excess material disposal

and consider bankline treatment and waste disposal in low areas

or on hillsides where the line of the hill may be smoothly extended
on lower cost right-of-way. Planting and seeding of slopes, flat-
tening canal wastebank slopes as they approach highways, rounding
inside and outside top edges, and seeding for erosion control will
enhance appearance.

Penstocks, surge tanks, pumping stations, water storage tanks, etc.,
should receive paints having earth colors that will blend with the
adjacent terrain.

Ponds and reservoirs should be maintained debris and litter free.
Access should be managed to preserve scenic and recreation values,
siltation ponds should be planned for and converted to recreation
use upon completion of their function, boat docks and harbors should
be functionally and aesthetically located, designed to avoid debris
accumulations related to shoreline development.

Power Structures
Transmission lines should follow contours when possible. Struc-
tures can be screened with trees, ground rises, and evergreen

shrubs on rights-of-way at highway intersections or in recreation
areas. Consider the use of underground powerlines in recreation

24


Photograph 42 - CP485-D-64058

|
|

¢

5 |

Se

Photograph 43 - CP859-D-64059

29


the busy appearance of the installation by not employing multi-
membered trusses. Provide screening panels, reduce silhouettes,
simplify incoming and outgoing transmission line arrangements, and
use color coding to set off the features of the installation.
Improve yard surfaces and repair eroded cut and fill banks. Avoid
harsh lighting.

Fish Structures

Provide an attractive, well-landscaped setting for the fish facil-
ity such as fish hatchery, ladders, laboratories, maintenance fa-
cilities, and their administrative quarters. Design circulation
to properly separate fish truck movements from visitors and permit
visitors ample room to view operations. Provide adequate safety
protection to visitors and operators. Properly relate facilities
to other adjacent recreation facilities. Provide adequate visitor
parking facilities, well separated from the fish installation.

Informational Structures

Develop an interpretive program in conjunction with improved
appearance effort to provide the public with educational informa-
tion regarding the construction, operation, purpose, and function
of our projects and facilities. This applies to signs, interpre-
tive facilities, and flags. Signs should be designed to blend in
and harmonize with buildings in the locality and the landscape.
Avoid stereotyped patterns for sign designs. Provide roadside
turnouts, landscaping protective railing where needed, and inter-
pretive facilities, i.e., dioramas, aluminum relief descriptions
mounted on pedestals, scale models, visitor centers with sequential
pictures of the construction story, etc. Provide attractive set-
tings for flagpoles near administrative quarters.

Water-oriented Structures

Provide finished structures, well landscaped, but of simplified
maintenance for boat storage and other water-oriented buildings
along the shoreline. Provide adequate shoreline protection from
water and wind erosion.

Landscaping

Provide sound land use and proper site planning including drain-
age, recognition of the land forms and natural features, safe and
simplified road circulation, proper utility locations and screen-
ing, all with the objective of presenting a functional installation
in a pleasing setting. Reseed scarred areas, plant trees and
shrubs to further improve appearance.

Consider the use of approved plant materials that can withstand
periodic inundation in mudflats of reservoir shorelines exposed
by annual drawdowns. To prevent wind erosion, use windbreaks
utilizing conifers and evergreens. Use trees and shrubs to break

26


areas or in areas of outstanding view. Where needed, plant growth
should be controlled with selective herbicides. Work with nature
in determining locations and locate alinements diagonally across a
wooded hill. Over unforested areas no special treatment is needed.
Consider either widely separated or parallel location of new lines.
Use common corridors.

Completely avoid location of transmission lines in major areas of
high amenity value even if a longer route results. Other things
being equal, choose the most direct route, reduce angle towers, use
tree and hill backgrounds in preference to sky backgrounds, cross
ridges in a saddle, but otherwise use the ridge as an opaque back-
ground. Prefer moderately open valleys with woods where tower
height is reduced and view of lines are broken by trees. Avoid
existing or proposed interstate highways or state primary highways.
Use self-supporting steel towers for approach spans and where it
would improve overall appearances.

During construction of transmission lines, confine contractors to
designated access roads, such as those that eventually will be
required for operation and maintenance. Avoid linear clearing,
blend clearing with the topography, and reseed scars.

When line replacement is necessary, remove or camouflage unneeded
foundations. Avoid views of installations from principal high-
ways. Remove cut timber and slash from right-of-way; develop and
use new tower configurations such as with tubular steel or pre-
stressed concrete poles. When feasible use stand-off insulators
in lieu of crossarms and strings of insulators.

Switchyards and sub-
stations should be
tastefully screened
with trees and shrubs
such as that shown in
Photograph 40, with
the objective of
visually breaking up
the installation
rather than solidly
screening it. Select
locations away from
areas of public travel
wherever possible,
considering both basic
function for power
delivery and the avoid-
ance of obstructing
public view toward
scenic or recreation
areas. Replace wood
poles with simplified
steel structures where
both exist. Reduce

Photograph 40 - CP214-D-64026

25


Paint

Paint can quickly change the appearance of any structure and with
the use of the right shades and colors, a most pleasing appearance
can be the result. Routine maintenance, such as painting, need not
be considered extra expense. More frequently than one would think
a change in color alone can accomplish wonders when the routine
maintenance painting job is being done.

The pumping plant on the Arbuckle Project in Oklahoma was designed
and built to present an attractive appearance. This appearance
also was greatly enhanced by the color of paint used. The plant
was painted a cream-beige color with olive-green trim and enclosed
with a chain link fence. With the green seeded slope of Arbuckle
Dam as a background, the plant presents a very pleasant appearance.

Photograph 41 - CP485-D-64057

The exposed penstock sections shown in Photograph 41, are painted a
metallic green instead of the customary aluminum. Many favorable
comments have been received from the general public.

Two large water tanks shown in Photograph 42, were painted a light
pastel color to help blend into their surroundings. Photograph 43,
shows a view of a surge tank located on the bluffs above one of our
western cities. The tank, 20 feet in diameter by 110 feet high was
primed with red lead in preparation for the aluminum color usually
specified. Comments by local residents resulted in the tank being
painted with three shades of blue which become progressively lighter
towards the top of the tank.

28


Guidelines

As a general rule for improved appearance, manmade structures
should blend and harmonize with their environment. The suggestions
presented here are intended to be used as guidelines in this effort
for different type facilities.

Buildings

For sun shelters, visitor centers, comfort stations maintenance
buildings, administrative quarters, entrance stations, substation
buildings and powerplants, including the interior, fixtures and
equipment, employ low profile structures generally using native
structural and/or finish materials whenever possible. Repaint
buildings when called for in maintenance schedules using architec-
turally approved color schemes. Use earth tones for this work rather
than pastels, as the former generally assist in harmonizing with
natural environments. Avoid harsh lighting.

Design-buildings to fit the ground rather than shaping the ground
to fit the building. Avoid locations that silhouette the struc-
tures on the skyline. The pumphouse shown in Photographs 35 and
36 was designed to be mostly underground when completed so as not
to restrict the view of surrounding area from a nearby highway.

Picnic shelters, Job Corps buildings, and similar structures should
be properly oriented for sun and wind protection and colored to
harmonize with the environment. Plant around the structure to
provide transition in form between the structure and the ground
and to provide shade. Design structures to fit the ground rather
than shape the ground to fit the structure.

Road Structures

The suggestions under this topic apply equally well to parking
areas, substation paved areas, maintenance areas, foot and vehic-
ular bridges, highways, access roads, scenic roads, and vista point
turnouts. Carefully locate road grades and alinements to follow
the contour of the land whenever possible. Minimize cuts and fills.
Employ Bureau of Public Roads grade and landscape standards. Pro-
vide turnouts and overlooks which incorporate safety with excellence
of views.

Control contractor removal and disposal of vegetative cover. Re-
quire repairs of damage and scars to natural roadside features.
Spoil piles west of a switchyard and under 230-kilovolt transmission
line on right of way, Photograph 37, were leveled and seeded with
grass as in Photograph 38. Replace topsoil in borrow areas, leav-
ing it smooth and even, and blending it with the terrain. Seed
exposed cuts and fills, or provide suitable low-growing cover, and
provide adequate drainage.

20


Photograph 45 - CP124-D-64028

Photograph 46 - CP214-D-64027

The Bureau stands ready to assist in choosing the proper coating
materials and in developing appropriate color designs. Also,

3- by S-inch color chips of Federal Standard No. 595 are available
in complete sets at a price of $15.00 from G.S.A. Business Service
Center, Region 3, Washington, D.C. 20407. Smaller chips 1 inch
by 1 inch square are available at $2.25 a set.

a ae

31 GPO 851-503


Photographs 44, 45, and 46, show a floodgate structure deck.

They are shown to illustrate the color scheme used to paint the
cable drum covers, railing, light standards, and other features.
A light pastel green or aqua color was used for the cable drum
covers. The railing and light standards were painted an old rose.
This color scheme is to be used when equipment, structures, build-
ings, and related facilities at this particular facility require
repainting.

Use less drab, uninteresting aluminum and light pearl gray colors
and more livelier colors for locations such as those described
above. Focal safety yellow, strange greens, russets, grayed
blues, browns, white, black, etc., are suggested. The appearance
of metal parts, buildings, and machinery for an entire canal and
reservoir system can be given a big lift by routinely repainting
with an attractive color scheme.

A side benefit to the use of the pastel shades of paint is the
reduction of eye strain caused by the glare of the sunlight shin-
ing on a standard aluminum color.

Photograph 44 - CP214-D-64024

30


up large parking areas. Plant with native plant materials where
semiarid conditions exist. Dispose of or conceal waste materials.
Use good ground cover on areas too steep or shady for lawns. Plant
shrubs and trees which provide food and cover for wildlife and
avoid unnecessary drainage of marshes and swamps.

Design fences to compliment the landscape, avoiding the use of chain
link and other steel fence when possible. Provide proper pruning
of plants along trail roads and in other public-use areas. Re-
move dead or diseased plant material. Use controlled grazing. If
farming is permitted, use contour farming, diversion terraces,

strip cropping, grassed waterways, crop rotation.

Construction Areas

This topic includes borrow areas, construction camps, quarry sites,
construction sites, roads, etc. Areas cleared for construction
should be kept to a minimum compatible with safe construction and
installation requirements. Clearing and grubbing should consist

of clearing the designated areas of all trees, down timber, snags,
brush, and other vegetation, rubbish and all other objectionable mate-
rial, and should include grubbing stumps, roots, and matted roots,
and disposing of all spoils material resulting from the clearing

and grubbing. Prune damaged tree limbs and paint pruned surface
black to prevent insect infestation.

Within the construction right-of-way, fence off localized areas
where trees, rocks, outcroppings, and other natural features

fall within the right-of-way and must be preserved to minimize the
damage to natural features. Obliterate equipment tracks and other
construction marks by handraking, brooming, or other satisfactory
methods. Where applicable, plant materials including trees,
shrubs, ground cover, and other vegetation should be replaced at
the contractor's expense.

During construction require spark arrestors in areas of potential
forest or grassfire hazard. Adjust all ground surfaces to fit new
construction within the site limits and provide adequate nonerosive
area drainage. Scatter excavated rock over adjacent terrain rather
than leaving a windrow along the trench. Construction campsites
should be restored as nearly as possible to their original condi-
tion and character. Require the contractor to dismantle and remove
all abandoned or useless equipment, supplies, and personal property.
Restore old road alinements to original ground forms, remove drain-
age structures, and restore natural drainage.

Quarries or other rock excavations should be controlled to present
a neat appearance. Methods such as presplitting should be employed.
Loose rock should be scaled off and consideration given to con-
trolling erosion of shale banks.

27


Obliterate temporary roads by restoring to the original slopes.
Round the tops of slopes and reseed or plant ground cover where
possible, replacing trees and shrubs along the right-of-way. Clean
up approach roads, reshape existing low-standard roads, and provide
proper drainage. Remove weeds and resurface roads where necessary.

Design bridges to blend with other facilities and the environment.
If possible keep bridge rails or parapet walls below eye level of
automobile passengers, permitting unobstructed vision. Paint
bridges earth tone colors.

The road as shown in Photograph 39 presents a very pleasing appear-
ance. This was accomplished by relocation of a powerline. The
powerline was relocated parallel to highway but at a higher
elevation.

Where highways are to be relocated in conjunction with other agen-
cies, the Bureau of Reclamation now requires that the Chief Engi-
neer be advised in the early stages of negotiations as to what
specific measures are being proposed for the improvement of appear-
ance of the relocated facilities together with the estimated amount
such measures will add to the cost of the relocated project.

Photograph 39 - P5S69-D-64035

23


Photograph 37 - P447-D-64033

Photograph 38 - P447-D-64034

22


Photograph 35 - P222-D-64031

Photograph 36 - P222-D-64032

21