Tempe Town Lake

Of course the Tempe City Council members have refused to tell the people who use the lake that it is unsafe!

Source

Tempe stands behind lake dams

by Dianna M. Náñez - Apr. 19, 2009 12:00 AM

The Arizona Republic

Tempe officials say they intend to ignore a safety recommendation from the makers of Town Lake's inflatable rubber dams because sufficient safeguards already are in place.

Bridgestone Industrial Products has urged Tempe to evaluate whether the safety measures at the lake are sufficient "to prevent injury and reduce the risk of loss of life" if the dams were to rapidly deflate.

But Tempe is standing behind its track record for the past decade. "The current (guidelines) we have had at the lake have been in place for 10 years with the existing dams," said assistant city manager Jeff Kulaga. "We believe (that) provides the proper safety needed for lake users."

Bridgestone manufactured the eight inflatable dams that contain the 977 million-gallon lake.

The eastern dams upstream are submerged and have held up. But a plan to keep the western dams wet failed, exposing the rubber to scorching sun that has damaged the material.

Tempe and Bridgestone officials have argued over whose fault that is. They spent the past year debating who should pay for replacing the dams.

Last month, the City Council approved an agreement for Bridgestone to replace the four damaged dams at the lake's western end.

But the question of people's safety on the lake if the dams were to deflate remains a sticking point.

Bridgestone outlined its concerns in the fine print of last month's agreement. The company recommended that the city look at increasing the buffer zone between safety buoys and the western dams, adding warning signage and enhancing the alarm system to better warn lake users if the dams rapidly deflate.

Bridgestone warned Tempe against moving the existing buoy line closer than the estimated 1,300 feet where they are anchored near the western dams.

About a year ago, Tempe moved the buoys from about 100 feet from the dams to where they are now, said Nancy Ryan, Tempe's Rio Salado Project manager.

"That was out of an abundance of caution," she said. "We knew there was sun damage . . . (the dams) were deteriorating."

Ryan said the buoy line prevents boats and people from getting near the dams. Speedboats are not allowed on Tempe Town Lake. A loudspeaker and flashing lights warn people of weather conditions and other emergencies.

Tempe also has analyzed the effects of a rapid deflation. Water would rush through anywhere the 16-foot-tall western dams deflate, Ryan said. An evacuation plan would bring an emergency crew to Town Lake.

Anyone on the lake could be swept near the dam, but Ryan said keeping people away from that area allows them time to evacuate safely.

But Bridgestone wants the city to do more because of the deterioration of the dams. It will be January before the first of four new dams is installed, and summer 2010 before the remainder are in.

Bridgestone spokesman Dan MacDonald said the company can't force the city to do the safety evaluation but considers the warning a "strong recommendation."

City Attorney Andrew Ching said Bridgestone never stated whether its product would fail.

"(But) I believe they wanted to make sure to give us some peace of mind that there would be a newer product in place," he said. "If there was any likelihood of deflation, it would be less likely than with the old (dams)."

Louise Lampkin, president of the Arizona Dragon Boat Association, said she and fellow boaters are on the lake weekly and hold their annual race there, adding that she feels safe on the lake.

Tempe is strict about safety, Lampkin says, requiring the group to purchase extensive liability insurance and hire four firemen and paramedics for its competition.

Still, she hopes Tempe weighs Bridgestone's recommendation.

"Our major concern is everybody's safety on the lake," she said.

Reach the reporter at dianna.nanez@arizonarepublic.com.