Tempe Town Lake

Tempe Town Lake dam failure could alter Ironman competition

by Dianna M. Náñez - Aug. 27, 2010 12:00 AM

The Arizona Republic

As Tempe struggles to meet a self-imposed Nov. 1 deadline to refill Town Lake, officials with one of the world's high-profile triathlons are working to secure a contingency plan in case the lake is not filled come race day.

That plan could include moving part of the Ford Ironman Arizona triathlon out of Tempe.

For Ironman athletes who spend months preparing for the race, studying every angle of what is known as one of the toughest tests of physical endurance, a significant change could be distressing.

But Tempe is working overtime to keep the swim, run and bike where it has been since 2005 when the first Ironman was hosted at Town Lake.

On Wednesday, the first of four 40-ton rubber bladders needed to rebuild the lake's west-end dam was hoisted into the lake by a 230-ton crane. City engineer Andy Goh said the construction company leading the lake project expects it to take two weeks to complete installation of the bladder. The placement of the bladder was supposed to begin last week but was delayed by a rainstorm.

The lake is being reconstructed after the dam ruptured July 20. City officials and Bridgestone Industrial Products Inc., the dam's manufacturer, had been aware since at least 2006 that the dam had been deteriorating. Although they have argued over who is at fault, officials for both entities have acknowledged they did not consider deterioration in the bladders serious enough to cause the rupture.

To rebuild the lake, Tempe must install a new west-end dam and refill the lake with the estimated 1 billion gallons of water that was lost when the rubber bladder ruptured.

Tempe officials have stressed that they are on track to meet the Nov. 1 deadline. But they have acknowledged the significant effort it will take to refill the lake and ensure the new water meets safety standards for the thousands of athletes who would swim in it for the Nov. 21 Ironman race.

The website Tempe created to update the public on the lake reconstruction says, "The lowering of the bladders onto the dam is only the beginning of the work. The bladders will be unrolled and anchored, and air piping will need to be installed. There are approximately 600 bolts, each weighing about 35 pounds, and 150 anchor plates per bladder, each weighing 100 pounds."

Tempe officials have said they plan to begin filling the lake with water by mid-October. To ensure dam and flood-control safety, the Arizona Department of Water Resources determines how quickly the water can be piped in to the lake.

On Wednesday morning, water streamed over a construction worker's boots as he stood on the base of the dam using a wrench to secure a bolt. A bystander who had came to watch the spectacle was enthralled.

"You don't really get the scale of it all until you see someone standing in it like that," said David Tevis of Phoenix.

Tevis said he has come to appreciate the lake and is upset with Tempe for not repairing the dam before it failed.

But unlike Valley residents who call the man-made lake a waste of public money and water, Tevis supports rebuilding Town Lake.

"Tempe blew it," he said. "(But) they can fix it. You've got a lot of businesses that invested on this being a lake and Tempe has responsibility, not just for the financial benefits, but for the safety of the public. Can you imagine if that thing had blown when there were boats out there or a race?"

Paul Huddle, Ford Ironman Arizona race director, said he had no reason to believe Tempe would not refill the lake in time for the triathlon. The back-up plan is a precaution.

"Obviously, any Ironman race in the world is at the mercy of Mother Nature," he said. "We have contingency plans for all our races."

Huddle said Ironman officials have a meeting with officials from Saguaro Lake, which is about 30 miles northeast of Tempe. If Town Lake is not ready for the swim portion of the triathlon, Saguaro Lake could be an alternative, he said.

Huddle said once athletes complete the swim they would bike to Tempe using the Beeline Highway. The remainder of the triathlon would still be in Tempe.

The Ironman is a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile run, in that order, with no break.

Marc Rubin, a Scottsdale resident who has completed the Ironman triathlon in Tempe, said race enthusiasts have come to appreciate the Arizona Ironman because of the lake.

"It's one of the hallmarks of the Tempe race," he said. "There's nothing like running by the lake and it's five to six people deep for a couple of miles with people cheering you on."

The sooner that Ironman officials release the contingency plan the better, he said, adding that he had reservations about Saguaro Lake.

"There has to be a swim," he said. "If there's not a swim it's not really an Ironman. (But) Saguaro Lake has some pretty big hills out there that would cause a lot of anxiety from a logistical standpoint. We're sitting here 10 weeks away . . . any change causes a lot of anxiety and stress for people who have been training for months to achieve their dream."