Appalachian Power Company Leesville Floating Bulkhead

Appalachian Power is required to complete a fully open gate test on all four of its spillway gates. A fully open gate causes downstream flooding, and a bulkhead was needed to test the gates without causing downstream flooding. Appalachian Power had a bulkhead system, but it required weeks to install and was very costly. Ayres designed a floating bulkhead system that was installed, and the complete gate test was completed in one day. The new bulkhead’s cost was less than the cost to install the existing bulkhead.

• Todd Rudolph, Senior Water Resources Engineer
• Arlen Beaudette, Project Manager/Structural Engineer

• Bulkhead Design