Rock Ramp



Citizens Energy Group (Citizens) is a utility company serving the residents of Indianapolis and surrounding counties. Citizens supplies water, wastewater, natural gas, chilled water, and steam to more than 800,000 people. The water system serves customers in central Indiana with treated water from ten water treatment plants, four of which are surface water and six are ground water treatment plants. The treatment facilities operated by Citizens have a combined usable capacity of 257 million gallons per day (MGD) during normal, non-drought, conditions and 247.7 MGD during moderate drought conditions. The system contains 32 finished water storage tanks capable of storing a total of 79 MG. Finished water is distributed through nearly 4,420 miles of water mains to approximately 330,000 customers within Central Indiana.

 

Failure of the Emerichville Dam (also known as the 16th Street Dam) resulted in immediate reduction of water surface elevation, resulting in compromised ability to obtain water from the White River.  Citizens is considering reestablishing the desired water surface elevation—and thereby water supply—through use of a rock ramp, similar to that which was established in Frankenmuth, Michigan.  The students will evaluate the enhancements to water quality, fish migration, local and downstream river ecology, and similar caused by replacement of a low-head dam with a rock ramp.  

 

Related Link: https://engineering.purdue.edu/EEE/InfoFor/CurrentStudents/SeniorDesign/2021/Rock%20Ramp/