Richland Chambers Pump Station

Project Background

In response to the increasing water supply needs of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), together with Dallas Water Utilities, initiated the massive Integrated Pipeline (IPL) project. The project includes the design, construction, and operation of a pipeline to supply water to more than two million people in North Texas. The 150-mile system runs from Lake Palestine to Lake Benbrook, with connections to the Cedar Creek and Richland-Chambers Reservoirs, and is designed to deliver up to 350 million gallons of water per day.

A central component of this initiative was the construction of a new lake intake and pump station—the Joint Richland-Chambers (JRC-1) facility—at Richland-Chambers Reservoir. Located near Kerens, about 60 miles southeast of Dallas, it is the third-largest inland reservoir by surface area located entirely within Texas.

Jacobs Engineering selected HVJ to provide the subsurface information needed to design a new pump station, intake channel, wingwalls, support buildings, and pavements. HVJ has extensive experience conducting complex geotechnical investigations for large infrastructure projects, and this project had the added complexity of drilling from a floating barge.

The Challenges

Designing and constructing the pump station required a precise understanding of the subsurface conditions both on land and beneath the reservoir. HVJ needed to accomplish this by performing specialized geotechnical drilling operations from a floating barge. This is a complex task that demands meticulous planning and execution.

Unlike land-based drilling operations, floating barge operations are constantly affected by wave action, wind, and changing water conditions. The team successfully managed challenges associated with barge movement, fluctuating drilling pressures, changing water levels, wind, and winter weather conditions.

The Goal

HVJ's objective was to collect comprehensive subsurface information required for the design and construction of the pump station and associated facilities. Technical requirements:

HVJ planned and executed a 32-boring exploration program — 17 land borings (20 to 100 feet deep) and 15 over-water borings drilled from a floating barge (50 to 65 feet below the mudline)

The exploration program was supported by five Cone Penetration Tests with pore-pressure dissipation, five piezometers (40 to 80 feet deep) for long-term groundwater monitoring, pneumatic slug testing, and a comprehensive geotechnical laboratory program.

The final deliverable was a Geotechnical Data Report documenting the soil stratigraphy, rock conditions, engineering properties, and groundwater characteristics Jacobs needed for foundation and structural design.

Our Solution

Equipment mobilization to maintain safety and stability: We carefully mobilized and stabilized heavy drilling equipment on a floating barge. The land borings were advanced with a Geoprobe 3126GT direct-push rig, while the over-water borings were drilled from a barge-mounted CME-75 rig.

Advanced drilling to accommodate project conditions: To maintain borehole stability during over-water drilling, the crew initially advanced each borehole using hollow-stem augers. Once they encountered groundwater, we transitioned to a mud-rotary system using bentonite drilling fluid. The drilling fluid stabilized the borehole and transported cuttings to the surface via a divided mixing pit.

Targeted sampling to ensure the highest quality: We sampled cohesive soils using thin-walled Shelby tubes, while stiffer soils and weathered rock were evaluated using Standard Penetration Tests (SPT). We sampled competent rock with NX core barrels and recorded rock recovery and Rock Quality Designation (RQD) for each core run.

Borehole protection for safety and environmental protection: Each barge boring was sealed with cement-bentonite grout upon completion.

Thorough supervision, planning, and testing: HVJ supervised all fieldwork, including the CPT soundings performed by our specialty geotechnical subcontractor, and ran the full laboratory program. This integrated approach provided the design team with a consistent, high-quality dataset for foundation and structural design.

The Results

HVJ successfully executed one of the IPL program's most technically challenging investigations by safely completing a complex over-water drilling program during winter conditions. Our exploration defined the subsurface profile and engineering properties needed for the pump station’s foundation and structural design.

We maintained the schedule and delivered a comprehensive, design-ready geotechnical dataset, which Jacobs and TRWD used to confidently advance construction. Ultimately, this was a critical step in advancing this vital regional water supply project.

Richland Chambers Pump Station

Project Background

The Challenges

The Goal

Our Solution

HVJ Associates, Inc.

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