Geomembranes and reservoirs

By Timothy D. Stark

Q: Is it possible to cover an entire reservoir with a geomembrane? In addition, is it possible to line an entire reservoir or lake with a geomembrane?

A: The answer is yes to both questions. Geomembranes are frequently used to cover reservoirs, especially in California (USA) for water quality purposes.

The October/November 2008 issue of Geosynthetics has an article about a floating cover for Wrigley Reservoir on Catalina Island in California by Andrew Mills. A February/March 2006 article in Geosynthetics by Slifer, Monley, Hier, and Stark describes the lining of Prospect Lake (53 acres) in Colorado Springs with a 30-mil PVC geomembrane.

Tim Stark is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.