The Four Lakes Dams: Secord, Smallwood, Edenville, and Sanford, located along the Tittabawassee River in Michigan, were originally constructed in the 1920s to generate hydroelectric power. About 100 years later, the Edenville Dam breached, and the Sanford Dam collapsed from the barrage of water, flooding and devastating the surrounding areas. Secord Lake, Sanford Lake, Smallwood Lake, and Wixom Lake were completely drained, leaving lakebeds littered with the debris of boats and boat lifts. In Sanford, the flood destroyed a quarter of the homes.

The Four Lakes Task Force Restoration Project

Climate change is driving more intense storms and heavier rainfall, something the original dams couldn’t have anticipated. The Four Lakes Task Force, a nonprofit organization, assumed responsibility for the restoration project. The goal of the task force is to rebuild prioritizing resilience and the ability to handle future weather extremes.

One of the challenges that emerged early in the project is how to keep the dams operational during Michigan’s extreme winters. Specifically, ice buildup on the lift gates has posed a concern. Left unaddressed, freezing water can lock up equipment and introduce new mechanical risks.

The Solution: Hubbell Signature CR Instantaneous Water Heater/Boiler

To solve this, Steel-Fab, a fabricator and contractor on the project, brought in Hubbell to design a specialized water heating solution. We proposed our Signature CR instantaneous circulation water heater as part of an integrated skid system.

The Hubbell CR delivers fast, reliable hot water for domestic hot water or boiler applications. Unlike many manufacturers who prefer offering only standard products, Hubbell specializes in custom. The CR is fully customizable to the needs of most applications and available in a full array of operating controls, materials, and design styles. Built to resist corrosive hot water with a stainless steel ASME stamped pressure vessel and valve. It’s available in a range of kilowatt ratings up to 1600 kW (single or three phase).

As part of the four lakes dam project, four CR packaged skids will play a key role in preventing freezing even during sub-zero stretches. Central to the system’s function is glycol. Circulating a 50% water-glycol blend, the CR can operate safely below 32°F. The fluid will flow through the dam gate at 21 gallons per minute, with a targeted temperature rise of 16°F.

The skid package includes a number of integrated components: an expansion tank to manage pressure, redundant variable frequency drive (VFD) pumps for consistent flow, a glycol feeder, and an Allen-Bradley control system to monitor and automate operation.

Our solution for the Four Lakes Dams project also meets several compliance standards. The overall skid is built in line with Army Corps of Engineers guidelines, while the components comply with UL, ETL, and ASME certifications.

Hubbell’s solution for the Four Lakes Dams is a perfect example of how to take advantage of our water heating expertise. As a custom water heater manufacturer, our goal is always to find the right solution for your needs. Contact us to discuss how we can help.

Hubbell Heaters & The Four Lakes Dam Project