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Portadam Installation at Hydro Dam: Innovative Solutions for a Changing World

Posted by Sam Stemper on March 04, 2024

We were contracted to replace flashboards and perform apron scour repairs at a hydroelectric dam along the Rock River in the Upper Midwest. Our client is a privately owned entity that owns and operates 80+ hydroelectric facilities throughout the United States.

The project’s significant goals involved increasing the dam’s retainage capacity, protecting the existing spillway structure, and providing an aesthetically pleasing spillway for the community's residents. This project was scheduled for the summer months when flow rates are at their lowest, mainly due to the volatility of the Rock River and the need for a slow-moving current to keep our divers safe. 

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Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System: Upgrades to Protect the Great Lakes from Invasive Carp

Posted by Kimberly Walters on January 18, 2024

We are at the Lock and Dam 19 facility in Keokuk, Iowa, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Our team replaced an 18,000-LB, 105-FT underwater soundbar with wet-mateable connections (cables and speakers that can be connected and disconnected underwater). This underwater acoustic deterrent system (UADS) upgrade allows divers to replace individual speakers if underperforming rather than continuing to remove the entire system.

Why? The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is spearheading a 3-year study to reduce the number of invasive carp moving toward the Great Lakes. It is the only study on the Mississippi River evaluating a deterrent for invasive carp. 

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Repairing Fish Guidance Nets at a Hydropower Dam

Posted by Lauren Collins, Senior Project Manager on January 20, 2023

Our Pacific Northwest crew mobilized at a hydroelectric facility to repair a fish guidance net at Upper Baker Dam. Upper Baker Dam is 1 of 2 hydroelectric dams on Baker River, near Concrete, WA. The entire Baker River Hydroelectric Project covers nearly 300 square miles.

Upper Baker Dam, a 312-foot-high concrete gravity dam completed in 1959, has a floating surface collector system responsible for attracting and safely holding juvenile salmon for downstream transport around the dam. We supplied dive and topside support teams to assist the prime contractor with the recovery, disassembly, and installation of a new floatation collar on the existing barrier net. This is an essential repair to ensure safe fish passage around the dam.

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Underwater ROVs: What Are They and How Are They Used?

Posted by Joe Baldoni on August 02, 2022

ROV stands for remotely operated vehicle. They are highly maneuverable unoccupied machines used to observe and work underwater, often in areas that are deemed too dangerous for commercial divers. ROV pilots can operate them from a nearby shore or boat.

Remotely operated vehicles are versatile tools commonly used in our industry to inspect, monitor underwater structures, and perform complex work tasks in depths divers cannot access. Although, more recreational ROVs are available with advancements in technology. These revolutionary machines are utilized by many industries to reduce costs to clients and keep divers safe in unknown or dangerous conditions.

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Brennan Opens a New Mid-South Location in Paducah, KY

Posted by Kimberly Walters on May 04, 2021

J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) recently established a permanent presence in the Mid-South Region. Our company’s new Mid-South location is in Paducah, Kentucky, and will provide all Brennan services, including above and below-water construction and environmental remediation services.

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Brennan Proudly Establishes Joint Venture with Ahtna

Posted by Kimberly Walters on February 15, 2021

J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) formally announces their Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified joint venture with Ahtna Marine & Construction Company, LLC (AMCC). Publicly titled the Ahtna – J.F. Brennan JV, the partnership establishes a mentor protégé relationship between Brennan and Alaska Native Corporation subsidiary AMCC.

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Brennan Welcomes Specialty Diving Services, Inc. to the Family

Posted by Kimberly Walters on December 21, 2020

LA CROSSE, Wis., December 21, 2020 ― J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) officially announces the asset acquisition of New England-based Specialty Diving Services, Inc (SDS). The acquisition combines two established union companies that specialize in commercial diving and heavy marine construction.

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Commercial Diving: Should 4-Person Teams Become the New Norm?

Posted by Steve Pratt on September 19, 2019

Dive teams mobilize every day to complete a broad assortment of tasks utilizing 3‑person dive teams. Historically, this has been the standard not only within Brennan's practices but for most other inland diving organizations. The Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) gives guidance that requires, at a minimum, a 3‑person dive team. While this practice is sufficient in some circumstances; such as non-penetration inspections and wheel jobs (propeller repairs); with our growing scope of work it became apparent that a 4‑person dive crew—adding a standby diver—should be our internal minimum standard moving forward.

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Getting Work Done When Boats Don't Run: Under-Ice Dive Inspections and Construction

Posted by Kimberly Walters on April 08, 2019

Our team has withstood the most unpredictable winters in recent memory. As we finally head into warmer weather, we reflect on all we were able to accomplish under the ice this past season. The ice may have been thick - really thick - four to five feet thick. But that didn’t stop us from taking on the most demanding under-ice dive projects.

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Out of Sight, Out of Mind; The Importance of Underwater Inspections

Posted by Dillon Hogan on July 10, 2018

Lock and Dams, bridges, pipeline crossings, and barge terminals are all examples of water-based infrastructure. Ensuring that these structures maintain their integrity is essential to their continued operation, however water-based infrastructure presents an added challenge because a portion of the structure is underwater.

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