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On March 2, 2023, Tim Stark visited the replacement liner and floating cover system for the El Toro Reservoir in Mission Viejo, California. This is a joint reservoir project between three water districts that is providing emergency water supply, storage, and cost savings to south Orange County water customers. The reservoir holds 275 million gallons (1.04 billion liters) of potable water.  The reservoir was originally constructed in the 1960’s as an open reservoir.  The first geomembrane floating cover was installed in the early 1980’s. In 2001 a composite geosynthetic liner and reinforced polypropylene floating cover was installed.  After 20 years, the existing liner is being augmented with a new 60 mil (1.5 mm) CSPE geomembrane that is being placed on top of the existing 70 mil (1.8 mm) reinforced polypropylene (rPP) geomembrane, which is still in intimate contact with the underlying subgrade (see Figure1). The resulting bottom liner system is shown in Figure 2.  

The main impetus for the project is replacing the 45 mil (1.1 mm) rPP floating cover system, which had exceeded its service life. The old cover system is being discarded and replaced with a 45 mil (1.1 mm) CSPE geomembrane based floating cover based on a requirement for an extended 30 year weathering warranty and long term material history. The project involves installing about1.1 million square feet (102,000 square meters) of geomembrane for the bottom liner system and about 1.15 million square feet (107,000 square meters) for the floating cover system as well as updating the reservoir interior valves, site drainage piping, and electrical upgrades. Douglas Hilts of Hilts Consulting Group is the design engineer, and the Layfield Group is the fabricator and installer of the liner and floating cover system geosynthetics. This project illustrates the advantages of factory fabricated panels because one panel extends from the top of the reservoir to the floor down slope over 325 feet where it is seamed with floor panels.

Dr. Stark hopes to visit the facilities of all FGI members to better understand each member’s business and how the FGI can provide additional benefit to them. The FGI is an exciting advancement in the geomembrane industry and allows the Institute to focus on all geomembranes that can be factory fabricated.

Congratulations to the following seven individuals for being elected to the FGI's Board of Directors for the 2023-2025 term:

President – Patrick Elliott (Viaflex/Colorado Lining International)

Treasurer – Ray Peebles (Cooley Group)

Secretary – Brian Fraser (Layfield Geosynthetics)

Board Member - Todd Harman (Hallaton)

Board Member - Doug Hilts (Hilts Consulting Group)

Board Member - Maya Innis (International Cover Systems)

Board Member - Duff Simbeck (Simbeck and Associates)

The FGI is dedicated to advancing the use of fabricated flexible geomembranes through education, research, and technology transfer. The FGI is a consortium of manufacturers, fabricators, installers, designers, regulators, and material suppliers of fabricated flexible geomembranes.

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) is pleased to welcome its newest Fabricator/Installer Member, Aquamate.  Aquamate manufactures a proprietary range of premium factory fabricated water tanks. The tanks are flat packed and shipped to sites across Australia and the US and assembled on site by trained crews. Aquamate was established in 1986 to repair leaking concrete tanks that were failing due to a variety of reasons including natural ground movement, poor workmanship or lack of correct materials available during installation. A solution to these problems was found when Aquamate installed its first kit form polymer lined steel tank. The tank was easily transported to site, constructed in a day in most cases and remained impervious to any natural ground movement. The company headquarters is in Adelaide, South Australia and their FGI liaison is Danny Di Iorio, Chief Executive Officer, who can be reached at danny.diiorio@aquamate.com.au or www.aquamate.com.au. Please help us welcome Aquamate to the FGI!!!!

We're so excited to announce the awesome group of women that will be leading our Women in Geosynthetics Round Table Discussion in February. Over the next few weeks, we will be posting about each individual so you can learn a little bit more about each panelist! Discussion Moderators: Fabiana Arriaga with Geosyntec Consultants, Jordan Wiechmann with IPG - Intertape Polymer Group. Panelists: Tina Oliver with Seaman Corporation, Maya Innis with International Cover Systems, Roxalana Dobransky with Layfield Group, Kristin Sample-Lord with Villanova University. We can't wait to see you all there!

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) is pleased to welcome its newest Fabricator/Installer Member, D&R Tarpaulins (D&R Tarps).  D&R Tarps is a manufacturer, supplier, and installer of all types of tarpaulins, liner products and environmental and fluid containment solutions. D&R Tarps specializes in the manufacture of pre-fabricated liners whereby all welded seams are undertaken in a controlled environment, therefore, eliminating the need for field seams thus ensuring the integrity of the liner. All of our products undertake a thorough QA/QC system whereby each seam is tested both visually and mechanically. For well over 30 years, D&R Tarps’ damn, tank and pond liners have been used across several industries, such as rural, mining, agricultural and domestic markets. The company headquarters is in Hemmant, Queensland, Australia and their FGI liaison is Jake Kemp, General Manager, who can be reached at jake@drtarps.com.au or www.drtarps.com.au.  Please help us welcome D&R Tarpaulins to the FGI!!!!

The FGI is offering an online Course and Certification Exam on Manufacturing, Fabrication, & Installation QA/QC for Geosynthetics

Schedule:
‍Jan. 24, 2023 12-1:30 p.m. CST Manufacturing MQA & MQC
Jan. 25, 2023, 2022 12-1:30 p.m. CST Factory CQA & CQC
Jan. 31, 2023, 2022 12-1:30 p.m. CST Field CQA & CQC
Feb. 1, 2023 12-1:30 p.m. CST Post Installation Maintenance & Leak Location
Feb. 1, 2023 - March 15, 2023 - University of Illinois - FGI CQA Online Certification Exam available

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3457212425750138124

Cost with Exam: $500 (includes all 4 course sessions and online exam)
‍Cost without Exam Cost: $300 (use discount code NOEXAM200 when registering)
‍PDH: 6.0 PDH for all 4 sessions

The certification exam will be available online following the conclusion of the 4-part course on Feb. 1, 2023. The $500 registration fee includes the online course sessions and one sitting for the online certification exam. A 6.0 PDH Certificate will be issued to those who attend all four online course sessions. A University of Illinois - FGI CQA Certificate will be issued to those who successfully pass the online certification exam, following the online course. For those who do not pass the exam on the first attempt, there is a $100 fee each time you register to re-take the online exam. For those not interested in taking the certification exam, the cost for attending the 4-course sessions is $300 (use discount code NOEXAM200) to register. Links to Parts 2, 3, and 4 will be sent automatically.

On November 18, 2022, Tim Stark visited the offices and factory fabrication facility of the Layfield Group in Lakeside, California. Tim met with Brian Fraser, Vice President, Strategic Business Development; Rob Rempel, Vice President, USA; Mike Da Silva, Director of Sales; Laura Quillen, Account Manager; and Nichelle Noel, Operations Manager (see Figure 1) to discuss current and future Layfield activities in North America. In addition, they discussed current and future FGI activities, including the new Spanish webinar series, which Mike and Laura will participate in, collaboration with IAGI, a new operation and maintenance guideline for water reservoirs, upcoming MQA and CQA training, and current University of Illinois research on EIA geomembranes and a carbon footprint calculator. Nichelle(see Figure 2) and Rob showed Tim their factory fabrication area and some floating cover projects undergoing fabrication. Afterwards, Brian, Tim, and Mike toured the recently completed Mt. Woodson Reservoir floating cover system (see Figure 3), which is featured in an FGI Project Spotlight (https://www.fabricatedgeomembrane.com/project-spotlights/mt-woodson-reservoir-floating-cover-replacement-ramona-california) that illustrates the advantages of factory fabrication and use of flexible geomembranes.

Dr. Stark hopes to visit the facilities of all FGI members to better understand each member’s business and how the FGI can provide additional benefit to them. The FGI is an exciting advancement in the geomembrane industry and allows the Institute to focus on all geomembranes that can be factory fabricated.

Monday, Feb. 6, 2023:
1:30-3 pm - Women in Geosynthetics Round Table

3:15-4:30 pm - Technical Session 1 - Applications of Fabricated Geosynthetics:
‍• PVC Geomembranes in Agricultural Uses
• Carbon Footprint Calculator
• Liner Payment Bases
• Case Study: Lake Forest Reservoir Relining & Floating Cover Fabrication & Installation
• Evapotranspiration v. Engineered Turf Covers for Landfill Final Closure
• EPS Geofoam Done Right: Saving Time and Money

Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023:
1:30-3 pm - Panel Discussion 1: How to Write a Good Geomembrane Specification

Wednesday, Feb 8, 2023:
8-9:30 am - Technical Session 2 - Fabricated Geosynthetics for Water Retention Projects:
‍• Designing & Constructing Geosynthetic Floating Covers for Municipal Water Storage & Treatment
• Operation and Maintenance Guideline for Geosynthetic Lined Water Reservoirs
• Case Study: Netherlands Motorway Underpass
• Case Study: Chambers Dam Reservoir Remediation
• PVC-EIA Alloys: Best Choice in Prevention and Protection of Water Resources

9:45–11:15 am - Panel Discussion 2: O&M Manuals for Geosynthetic Lined Water Reservoirs

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) is pleased to welcome its newest Associate Member, QS.  QS provides independent testing of plastic materials and welded connections, as well as quality insurance inspection services for civil constructions, plastic films, pipeline projects, steel structures, and liquid-tight facilities.  In addition, QS provides certification services for renewable energy and raw materials. QS serves clients in the following industries:  waste, recycling and composting, earth, road and hydraulic engineering, renewable energy, and infrastructure. The company headquarters is located in the village of Bennekom in the Netherlands. QS is apart of the Normec group (www.normecgroup.com) and is accredited by the Dutch Accreditation Council for its Testing, Inspection and Certification services. All its accredited work is done and reported according to all the criteria and stipulations for independence stated therein. Their FGI liaison is Iljo Fluit, who can be reached at Fluit@qsbv.com or www.qsbv.com.  Please help us welcome QS to the FGI!!!!

On 8 August 2022 during atrip to San Diego, Tim Stark visited the offices and factory fabrication facility of Simbeck and Associates in Mancos (Main-Kiss), Colorado. Tim met with Duff Simbeck, Vice President of Simbeck & Associates (see Figure 1) to discuss current and future FGI activities, including the new operation and maintenance guideline for water reservoirs that Duff helped write, upcoming FGI webinars, MQA and CQA training, welder certification, and current University of Illinois research on action leakage rates, and carbon footprint calculator. Duff showed Tim some current factory fabrication projects and new fabrication capabilities for mainly public projects throughout the United States. Mancos, Colorado is the gateway to Mesa Verde National Park, which Tim toured the following day. Mancos can be accessed via Colorado Route-160, which is beautiful drive through the southern Rocky Mountains and includes the Wolf Creek Summit at Elevation 11,904 feet. If you are looking for a beautiful mountain drive or planning to visit nearby national parks, please stop by Simbeck & Associates at 38256 US-160 in Mancos and visit with the team at Simbeck & Associates.

Dr. Stark hopes to visit the facilities of all FGI members to better understand each member’s business and how the FGI can provide additional benefit to them. The FGI is an exciting advancement in the geomembrane industry and allows the Institute to focus on all geomembranes that can be factory fabricated.

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