SIGMA’s Hydrotec trench drains provided a reliable, strategic drainage solution to an athletic field construction project in the Northern California city of Tracy. The 166-acre complex, which includes 12 baseball fields and seven soccer fields, was scheduled for completion in February 2016. However, significant rainfall during the winter delayed the project for a month. As a result, there was concern about the facilities being ready for the scheduled start of the baseball season. In addition to the timing predicament, the topography of the site is completely flat, so drainage was a serious concern.
The flat surface presented a twofold challenge. The standing water from the recent rains had pooled on the surface, hampering the work and providing a constant reminder of the need to ensure proper and reliable drainage solutions in construction. Going forward, the planners needed to find a way to catch the rain as it hit the ground before it flowed onto the infield, rendering the surface unusable in the short term and damaged over time.
Hydrotec’s sloped system provided the solution. Placing the high point behind the backstops and running channels along the third base lines, behind the backstops and down the first base lines caused the water to be diverted away from the fields and into catch basins at the end of each baseline. The catch basins were fitted with debris buckets to trap any material that would impede proper flow. This protects the fields, effectively manages the storm water runoff and deals with the flatness of the surface.
Hydrotec also met the specifications. Both Class A and Class C grates were specified at various locations in the fields. In the end, Class C grate was installed throughout the site because it accommodates vehicular traffic. In order to ensure that the surface would withstand the weight of construction vehicles, automobiles and maintenance equipment, Class C grates were deemed the more suitable choice.
The condensed time frame presented an additional obstacle, but SIGMA devised an efficient way to overcome it. It treated each area’s trench drain system as a separate order and created clearly labeled “kits” for each field. As a result of this efficiency, there was no sorting of channels, equipment or installation materials onsite. The system that was measured and prepared for Field 3, for example, was palletized and delivered directly to Field 3. Upon receipt, the contractor was able to get right to work with the installation and, as a result, completed the job in time.
