Correction Appended
A repair crew started installing the first rubber bladder of the Tempe Town Lake's west dam Wednesday.
The dam burst July 20, sending about 1 billion gallons of water into a dry riverbed.
The first three bladders are expected to be installed before Oct. 8, and the fourth bladder is currently being manufactured in Japan, said Kris Baxter, a spokeswoman for the city of Tempe.
The west dam relied on four rubber bladders to contain the water, and all four are being repaired.
“Each one of [the bladders] are being installed in their turn,” she said.
The crews will temporarily substitute the fourth bladder with a cofferdam until it arrives.
“Because [the fourth bladder] is still in process, we’ll be filling the lake before it actually is here, and so once it’s installed, we’ll remove the copper dam and everything will be finished,” Baxter said.
So far, the reconstruction of the lake is on schedule, she said.
The lake is expected to be filled and ready for boating, fishing and other water activities by Nov. 1, Baxter said.
The Ironman triathlon, which plans to use the lake for the swimming portion of the competition, is scheduled for Nov. 21.
Crews will also be working on a new pedestrian bridge that will run on top of the west dam. The bridge is expected to be completed by spring 2011, she said.
Reach the reporter at cottens@asu.edu
