Cleared for Takeoff: Maintaining Safety at IFCD 3

We don’t give it a lot of thought, but there are few things of significance in life that aren’t inspected before we use them. The foods we eat. The water we drink. The fuel we pump into our vehicles. Some items are checked repeatedly to watch for wear, such as the vehicles we drive and the airliners on which we travel.

The same is true about the IFCD 3 flood control facilities we operate throughout Valley Ranch. Inspections and testing are a key part of regular District operations.

At the top of the list is the levee that stands guard between the Elm Fork of the Trinity River and the people and properties within IFCD 3’s service area. Also commonly referred to as a dike or embankment, the levee is a tall, grass-covered barricade that rises 16 feet above natural ground and prevents rising waters of the Trinity River from becoming flood waters inside Valley Ranch. A member of the IFCD 3 team inspects the entire length of the 3.3 mile long levee every week. Beyond looking for the biggest enemy of flood control facilities – erosion – the inspector also watches for signs of the levee being disturbed by wildlife, such as feral hogs and other animals. Addressing any minor damage quickly helps ensure the integrity of the levee when it’s needed.

A drainage area of more than 1,900 acres fills the various waterways across Valley Ranch, directing water into the Valley Ranch sump. Typically carrying lower volumes of water and generally experiencing less impact from natural forces, the creeks, canals, ponds and other bodies of water that comprise our network are periodically checked. Nearly all changes in these assets are observed by District operations and maintenance team members, though observant neighbors will occasionally observe and report changes to the District through our website. A team member will confirm the report and arrange for repair activities, as warranted.

At the hub of the District’s work are the pump station and sluice gates that receive water from the sump and direct it into the Elm Fork. Six pumps, which pump from 25,000 to 50,000 gallons of water per minute, are sequentially evaluated and tested monthly. Automatic lubrication units are checked and, when tested, maintenance team members observe and listen to each pump for any signs of additional attention. Separate Oncor electrical feeds are checked to verify the supply of electricity to the pump station, followed by verification of the backup power feed from the District’s two diesel powered emergency generators. Similar attention is paid to the sluice gates adjacent to the pump station that enable the discharge of lesser amounts of water under less intense storm situations.

When the operations team on the flight line gives the thumbs-up after a complete preflight inspection, it’s then that personnel on the plane’s flight deck are confident in departing for the skies. Regular inspection throughout the IFCD 3 system creates a similar confidence on the ground for when rains are a-coming.