SAN JOSE, California – Burke Industries, a global leader in the manufacture of high-quality geomembranes, is proud to announce the completion of the large floating cover for California’s Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) Upper Chiquita Reservoir, one of the deepest reservoirs in the United States. Designed to hold more than 240 million gallons of water and featuring slopes that drop more than 250 ft., the diamond-shaped facility features a 16 acre ft. surface that is protected by a long-term CSPE geomembrane from Burke.
“Water conservation and security are two of our biggest engineering issues right now,” says Steve Roades, Vice President of Burke’s Liners, Covers & Roofing Division. “With the Upper Chiquita project, they also wanted a cover design that could last 30 years or more rather than have to replace it every 10 or 15 years. CSPE geomembranes are really the only way to accomplish that.”
Chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE) geomembranes have a strong history of providing significant long-term performance in exposed environments. Even in intensively sunny environments or when subjected to freeze-thaw cycles, Burke’s CSPE geomembranes have demonstrated extraordinary durability and protected reservoirs around the world for decades.
Also of note for the Upper Chiquita project, Burke was able to provide the cover membrane in its custom color known as “Pebble Tan” (originally developed for a major golf corporation). This greatly helped the project meet its goal of blending the installation into the Chiquita Canyon environment.
“It’s a fantastic design,” Roades says. “The SMWD is part of California’s second-largest county, so the need for this emergency water supply is great. The depth of the design is unusual, and then there are these steep sides and a huge surface to cover. We’ve really enjoyed seeing it come together.”
More than 900,000 sq. ft. of geomembrane has been utilized in the floating cover.
ABOUT BURKE INDUSTRIES
Burke Industries’ is the largest manufacturer of CSPE geomembranes in the world. The company’s materials are used for reservoirs (liners and covers), aquaculture, mine tailings containment, and many other applications. For more information, visit www.burkeindustries.com.
