The work is being conducted under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as part the funding provided to the US Department of the Interior, including USBR. The Bureau received $1B of ARRA funding to restore aging infrastructure, repair aging dams, provide drought relief, and improve conservation of water across its five-region service area of the 17 Western United States.
The Flatiron Penstocks are an integral part of USBR’s Colorado-Big Thompson Project, in the Great Plains Region. The C-BT provides supplemental water to approximately 720,000 people in northeastern Colorado and generates hydroelectric power though a series of six power plants.
The protective coating on the penstocks is over 50 years old and in need of replacement. Recoating the penstocks includes removing the old paint from the exterior and interior of the pipes. In addition, new ultrasonic flow meters will be installed to improve power plant efficiency.
