Reclamation Home

Regional Offices

Newsroom

Library

Dataweb

TSC Laboratory Facilities

The TSC offers state-of-the-art laboratory analyses to support water and power facilities.

The Materials Engineering and Research Laboratory Group (86-68180) can help you with:
	Dam safety research laboratory investigations
	Concrete construction laboratory testing and inspection

Environmental Applications and Research Group (86-68220) offers a chemistry laboratory.

Geotechnical Support Group (86-68380) performs studies related to soil, rock, and foundation materials used for Reclamation structures. Work involves both laboratory and field studies of the properties and performance of engineering materials under various environmental and service life conditions. Special equipment includes a 1-million-pound stiff testing machine, 300-kilovolt X-ray machine, large triaxial shear facility for soils, large direct-shear machines for testing up to 10-inch-diameter rock and concrete cores and 12- by 12-inch soil and soil-geosynthetic interfaces, and an ultrasonic nondestructive testing machine. Special equipment also is used in field studies.

Hydraulic Investigations and Laboratory Services 86-68560.

We operate Reclamation's only hydraulic laboratory, where we conduct site-specific scale model tests and pursue applied research investigations. Our laboratory has many unique facilities, including:

• An automated canal model used to provide training on flow measurement and modern methods of canal operation and control
• A low-ambient pressure chamber used for testing cavitation performance of hydraulic equipment
• A high-head test facility for gates and valves, and
• Facilities that allow live-fish testing of fish passage and fish protection equipment.

The Laboratory Shops in this group construct hydraulic models and other special equipment required to support all of Reclamation's laboratory facilities. The shops also construct small-scale architectural models to support public outreach programs on Reclamation projects.