Embodiments of an inflatable dam sized to be secured to a foundation structure with an anchor line. The inflatable dam includes a main bladder and an overlapping layer. The main bladder is moveable between deflated and inflated states such that, in the inflated state, the main bladder extends with a tubular configuration. The overlapping layer is sized and configured to extend over a portion of the main bladder and, in the inflated state, concentrically aligned with the portion of the main bladder. The overlapping layer is sized to extend with an overlapping length and to extend laterally between a first end portion and a second end portion along the overlapping length, the first end portion being coupled to the fin structure and the second end portion being configured to be coupled to the anchor line and the foundation structure.

A portable, water-filled barrier system includes a plurality of water-fillable modules, each module being internally divided into cells that emulates a section of a sandbag dike or wall. The modules include a first plurality having a rectangular base shape and at least one wedge module having a triangular or trapezoidal shape. In embodiments, the wedge modules can be installed in a front-forward or front rear-ward orientation according to a desired bending direction of the barrier. Automatic valves can seal openings between the filled cells, so that a punctured cell will not cause cells below and behind to deflate. A manifold can be used to simultaneously fill a plurality of cells. A flexible sheet or a plurality of interlocking sheets can be installed beneath and in front of the assembled barrier so as to protect the barrier from damage and inhibit leakage of water under or between the cells.

The invention relates to improved water control gates and related inflatable actuators, and associated sealing, manufacture and operation apparatus and methods. Advancements in technologies related to air fitting design, inflated bladder stress relief, inflatable bladder strength enhancement, water gate related slide friction mitigation, abutment and other impounded water seals, gate panel fabrication, traffic accommodating water impoundment structures, and water gate panel system operation efficiency, as well as nappe aeration, hinges, and bladder manufacture technology are disclosed herein.

The present invention provides a self-positioning system of a deepwater underwater robot of an irregular dam surface of a reservoir, including cross reflection metal plates arranged on the irregular dam surface, and an underwater robot provided with a control motherboard, a water level indicator and a sonar system, wherein the water level indicator and the sonar system are respectively connected with the control motherboard, and the control motherboard is connected with a computer via a cable. The cross reflection metal plate has known coordinates and has four quadrants. A sonar signal emitted by the sonar system is reflected by the cross reflection metal plate to generate sonar reflection signals of four quadrants, and the sonar signals in the effective quadrants correspond to known coordinate parameters of the cross reflection metal plate so as to obtain the horizontal distance between the underwater robot and the irregular dam surface. The water level indicator is used for calculating the vertical position of the underwater robot. The computer calculates accurate positioning of the underwater robot according to the horizontal position and the vertical position. The present invention has the beneficial effects of being able to accurately obtain the positioning coordinates of the underwater robot in the deepwater of the irregular dam surface of the reservoir.

The present invention provides a self-positioning system of a deepwater underwater robot of an irregular dam surface of a reservoir, including cross reflection metal plates arranged on the irregular dam surface, and an underwater robot provided with a control motherboard, a water level indicator and a sonar system, wherein the water level indicator and the sonar system are respectively connected with the control motherboard, and the control motherboard is connected with a computer via a cable. The cross reflection metal plate has known coordinates and has four quadrants. A sonar signal emitted by the sonar system is reflected by the cross reflection metal plate to generate sonar reflection signals of four quadrants, and the sonar signals in the effective quadrants correspond to known coordinate parameters of the cross reflection metal plate so as to obtain the horizontal distance between the underwater robot and the irregular dam surface. The water level indicator is used for calculating the vertical position of the underwater robot. The computer calculates accurate positioning of the underwater robot according to the horizontal position and the vertical position. The present invention has the beneficial effects of being able to accurately obtain the positioning coordinates of the underwater robot in the deepwater of the irregular dam surface of the reservoir.

A flood protection system including a tube plate assembly including a plurality of orifices arranged in a predetermined pattern and density. A tube attachment subsystem is associated with each of the plurality of orifices and is configured to secure an open ended independent barrier tube thereto. A plurality of spaced walls are configured to support the tube plate assembly above the ground such that each barrier tube extends vertically downward from the tube plate to the ground. Filling each barrier tube with the fluid provides outward hydrostatic pressure at each tube-to-tube interface such that friction loss of a flow of flood water along each barrier tube-to-tube interface pathway stops the ingress of the flood water from a flood area to a protected area.

A method for the prevention or remediation of flooding waters in a geographic area using one or more thrusters to increase the velocity of a portion of the water in a channel draining the flooding waters away from the geographic area, mixing the portion of the accelerated waters back in to the remainder of the waters in the channel thereby increasing the average velocity of the waters in the drainage system and increasing the rate of removal of the flooding waters from the geographic area, the thrusters having the one or more inlets approximately at ninety degrees from the centerline of the thruster and cleaning the thruster inlets by reversing the flow through the thruster while the flooding waters are still passing the thruster.

A portable, water-filled barrier system includes a plurality of water-fillable modules, each module being internally divided into cells that emulates a section of a sandbag dike or wall. The modules include a first plurality having a rectangular base shape and at least one wedge module having a triangular or trapezoidal shape. In embodiments, the wedge modules can be installed in a front-forward or front rear-ward orientation according to a desired bending direction of the barrier. Automatic valves can seal openings between the filled cells, so that a punctured cell will not cause cells below and behind to deflate. A manifold can be used to simultaneously fill a plurality of cells. A flexible sheet or a plurality of interlocking sheets can be installed beneath and in front of the assembled barrier so as to protect the barrier from damage and inhibit leakage of water under or between the cells.

A reusable flood barrier that may be easily collapsed and deployed is disclosed. The barrier may comprise a flexible sheet, a plurality of parallel wall support members, a plurality of parallel base support members, a limiter configured to hold the wall up relative to the base in an erected configuration, and a hinge. After closing the barrier at the hinge, the barrier may be rolled up for easy portability and storage. The barrier is flexible, and while erected it can bend to form convex or concave curves in the barrier wall to enable construction of a flood barrier that goes around corners.

A reusable flood barrier that may be easily collapsed and deployed is disclosed. The barrier may comprise a flexible sheet, a plurality of parallel wall support members, a plurality of parallel base support members, a limiter configured to hold the wall up relative to the base in an erected configuration, and a hinge. After closing the barrier at the hinge, the barrier may be rolled up for easy portability and storage. The barrier is flexible, and while erected it can bend to form convex or concave curves in the barrier wall to enable construction of a flood barrier that goes around corners.