The city of Franklin, Tenn.—a suburb of Nashville—initiated a rehabilitation project for its existing 35-acre raw water reservoir to fix leaks caused by several deep fissures in the earthen basin. Because of the leaks, the reservoir ran completely dry during an extended drought season. When the Tennessee government released economic stimulus dollars, this site was among the top ten projects earmarked to receive funding. After a failed attempt at using a natural clay liner, the city selected a potable water grade geomembrane to solve its water containment issues. This paper will go over the reservoir history, sizing options, liner material options, the construction overview and lessons learned during the project.
