News release: Straining against invasion: Updated duplex strainer baskets installed alongside new UV light technology at Glen Canyon Dam to continue the fight against quagga mussels
If left unattended, quagga mussels can cause extensive harm to a facility and the fight against this invasive species is seemingly never-ending. Further efforts are being put into place to uphold systemic stability at Glen Canyon Dam with the installation of new and improved strainer baskets. Quagga mussels create plenty of challenges when they are alive and intact and need to be removed. However, as they die and are removed, their shell debris collects in the system which can clog pipes if left unattended. These specific strainer baskets are being used to filter the cooling water that is piped from the penstocks to the generating unit’s air housing and baring coolers. Strainer baskets have been used at Glen Canyon Dam for many years to aid in the collection of shell debris, but as the mussel infestation has persisted, so has the need for improvements to the baskets and strainer system. In the past it was necessary to stop the flow of cooling water to be able to clean the baskets.
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