Environmental

Winner named in Guardians of the Reservoir prize competition

Winner named in Guardians of the Reservoir prize competition

The Bureau of Reclamation has selected the D-Sediment team as the winner of the Guardians of the Reservoir prize competition for their solution to remove sediment deposits in reservoirs.

The team — comprised of Michael Detering, Laura Backes and Joana Kueppers from Germany — developed the Sedimover technology for 24/7 sediment transfer from a reservoir. The team is receiving $100,000 in prize money.

The two other finalists were recognized for their accomplishments.

Reclamation presented the Versatility Award to the 3 D DredgerTM Team for their Complete Sediment Management solution, a fully autonomous dredging system designed to handle sediment and larger debris using three attachments. This team consists of Nicholas LaBry and Kenneth LaBry of Prometheus Innovations LLC and Bartolomeo Mongiardino of Hydro Maintenance Service.

Reclamation presented the Innovation Award to Slurry Pulsejet Engine for their new technology to capture, dewater and move the sediments in dry or semi-dry form. It is based in minimizing water and power consumption and was developed by Baha Abulnaga and David Dibley of Mazdak International Inc., Washington.

Sedimentation in reservoirs occurs when faster moving rivers transport sediment into slower moving water in reservoirs, where it then falls out and begins to fill the reservoir. Sedimentation reduces the amount of water storage available in a reservoir, impacting the ability to store water or reduce the risk of floods.

“Sedimentation has impacted our reservoirs from the day they were built,” said Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “The solutions identified through this prize competition provide an option to manage sediment so Reclamation reservoirs can continue to store water as they were designed to do.”

Reclamation partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NASA Tournament Lab and HeroX on this competition. Reclamation conducts prize competitions to spur innovation by engaging a non-traditional, problem-solver community.