TMWA Fleish Flume Demolition and Tie In

This project called for the removal of the aging, wooden flume structure to mitigate safety concerns and restore the environment after the flow of water was moved to an underground tunnel. The scope includes 1,975 lineal feet of flume removal – heavy timbers built into a long box-like structure, affixed to the side of a rockface along the Truckee River – and 192 lineal feet of new flume to tie the new waterway and existing flume together in two places. The old flume is located along the east bank of the Truckee River, with treacherous access for even small trucks – so the standard approach using cranes and large dump trucks cannot be implemented here.

Q&D used the services of a helicopter and pilot to remove debris from the remote site. In order to maximize the pilot’s time, Q&D prepped the structure by cutting it in half lengthwise and removing all but strategic vertical supports, which are removed section by section using a chainsaw just before the helicopter lifts off with a load.

Helicopter lifts like this are rare – it is always safest and cost effective to use conventional methods to access a site. Q&D’s experience in constructing work in mountain regions – for example, up ski slopes, resort properties and high-elevation home sites – gives us insight into the potential for innovation when accessing challenging work sites.