Reference
Irrigation canal in Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) is a beautiful city of 17,000 people located where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario. The city is known for its festivals, colonial buildings, and vineyards. Water is always available in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and water is vital to the orchards and vineyards in the area. Irrigation canals are used to transport water through the gardens and vineyards, and because of the hilly terrain, pumps are needed to bring water up to some of the higher orchards and vineyards. In one case, the water level in the canal had to be kept constant even when the pumps downstream were turned off. If water and debris flowed back down the hill, the pumps could be damaged and, more importantly, the water level in the canals could drop.
The solution
Devine & Associates discussed solutions with NOTL and concluded that an NPS 28" (DN700) WaStop on top of the hill would prevent backflow and maintain water levels in the higher-lying channels. A gable already existed, so the WaStop was easy to install. Once installed, the sandbags could be removed and the downstream water level maintained. With its low maintenance requirements, the valve ensures that there is always enough water in the channels to allow the orchards to produce world-class fruit and wine.
