Aquatic works cofferdam

No minimum amount of water is required. Even a trickle of water will inevitably enter the barrier until it is filled to capacity.

We market water barriers ranging from 15 to 60 inches of holding capacity (38 centimeters to 1.5 meters).

Our popular models for aqua work are WA-28 and WA-39, 28 and 39 inches of water retention (71 centimeters and 1 meter), because they are extremely fast to install.

We also have larger models such as WA-50 and WA-60, with 50 and 60 inches of water retention (1.3 and 1.5 meters); A diver may be required to install them.

Fast flowing water does not affect the Water-Gate barrier.

However, high-water level (i.e., more than 20 inches or 50 centimeters) with a rapid water flow can complicate its installation. We have solutions to create this type of barrier, but with dozens of possible scenarios, a qualified representative will be able to answer your needs.

Yes, the Water-Gate water barrier is watertight, but be aware that the stream bottom does allow some water to pass through. Typically, installing in a standard stream will only allow a small trickle of water to pass under the barrier.

To make your cofferdam as watertight as possible, simply bury the front of the flap in the stream bed to greatly reduce the amount of water that seeps under the water barrier.

The standard WA-28 and WA-39 models are the most popular for regular aquatic work.

Our larger models, such as WA-50 and WA-60, are ideal for large-scale aquatic work.

Yes, of course! Our barrier and water barrier models (all grades and sizes) attach together (except the WX-06) regardless of the size of the retaining reservoir or length.

This is a competitive advantage because depending on the stream's topography, two or more barriers can be arranged to allow for aquatic or waterfront work.

To install a large barrier in a stream or river with normal water flow, you will need to provide one person for every 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters).

In addition, if your installation requires a water level of more than 20 inches (50 centimeters), then you may need divers to do the installation.

Yes, as incredible as it may seem, even in the event of very thick mud, the Water-Gate water barrier will remain stable and effective.

The Water-Gate water barrier is flexible and strong and incredibly resilient. It absorbs collision energy and returns to its original shape. This flexibility makes the Water-Gate water barrier a major asset against any impact. The risk of slight damage to the barrier from a strong impact is slight and it is almost impossible to break the cofferdam.

As this video demonstrates, impact resistance was tested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with a large log entering the barrier at full speed at 20 degrees, without seriously affecting its structure.

The technical details of this test are as follows:

It’s also possible and easy to let large objects floating on the water pass over the barrier as shown below (e.g., large pieces of ice or tree trunks floating on the water).

Water-Gate water barriers can be installed in almost any type of stream or river, regardless of its bed (e.g., small gravel, large rocks, algae, soft and/or hard clay).

For a stream with a smooth hard clay bottom, we recommend preparing the stream bed by adding 3 to 10 large rocks (fist or head size) per square meter.

If the stream with a bottom that is entirely covered by sand, the dam will hold, but it is very possible that in the short term (±30 minutes) the water will infiltrate the barrier.

The maximum height determines the right of way of each barrier.

Allow for approximately 4 times the width of the right of way related to the water barrier height.

Yes, everything has been thought out at the design stage to offer a quality product that is 100% reliable and easy to install in small streams of less than 20 inches (50 centimeters).

For streams larger than 20 inches (50 centimeters), installation may require the help of a diver.

However, regardless of the model size chosen to do your aquatic work, the water barrier will not roll, slide, tear, unravel, or split while you are performing the work.

Of course! You can check out our "Our Customers" section to find out about our major local and global customers.

To speak to one of our customers in your area of interest, please contact us.

The Water-Gate cofferdam is the perfect product for short term, light aquatic work. Its quick installation and removal without the help of a diver makes it ideal for small aquatic jobs. It can even be adapted for large water reservoirs up to 60 inches (1.5 meters).

We also offer a device called a diverter, which directs excess water from the diverter much further downstream, allowing you to work in the stream bed in the dry. This diverter requires no power, as water gravity does all the work. It installs in minutes on any size barrier. Up to two diverters can be installed on the same barrier. Click here to learn more about the diverter.

If diverter installation takes a long time, there is no danger of the diverter slipping unless the water level in the stream rises more than 50% above the barrier.

Once your aquatic work is completed, no trace of the barrier passage will be apparent. Environmental groups and the Ministry of the Environment are always impressed with the benefits of the Water-Gate water barrier!

Our consultants can travel anywhere in America depending on the potential of the projects and their availability. It’s therefore very easy to organize a product demonstration to convince you of the effectiveness of the Water-Gate solution.

Water-Gate water barriers are very popular with cities, municipalities, and contractors.

Yes, we sell all over the world.

To date, 138 kilometers of water barriers have been deployed in about 30 countries such as the United States, France, Switzerland, England, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, Italy, Czech Republic, Japan, Chile, Poland, Spain, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Azerbaijan, Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey, etc.

Our plant has a large inventory, and depending on our standard product orders, barriers can be delivered the same day of the order.

For large projects, lead time can be a few weeks to a few months, as these projects must be custom built.

We have very limited inventory for this purpose. Please contact us to explore this possibility.

No maintenance is required before use.

After being used, we recommend cleaning and drying the barrier, then folding it and putting it back in its packaging cover.

Dirt and moisture don’t affect the quality and durability of Water-Gate water barrier, but unpleasant odors may be produced the next time it is used if it is not properly cleaned.

For more details, refer to the maintenance sheet.

The water barrier cover (yellow in colour) is made of PVC and is therefore very easy to repair, even for long lengths. All you need is the proper glue for this application and a piece of fabric (ideally the same colour).

For dry repair, you can find this glue at awning, trucking tarp or marquee manufacturers. In North America, it’s called HH-66 vinyl cement.

In the exceptional case of a short tear when the barrier is under water, slip a piece of fabric inside the barrier to seal the breach. Watertightness will be ensured by simple water pressure on the fabric.

Yes, the Water-Gate water barrier is sold with a 2-year manufacturing warranty and/or against any manufacturing defects.

Each Water-Gate water barrier is manufactured and inspected to high quality standards in our Canadian plant. A serial number is recorded for traceability at each manufacturing stage.

A. Safety and strength standards

The Water-Gate barrier is first and foremost a work tool that must be reliable, safe, and durable. According to the safety standards established by MegaSecur, the Water-Gate barrier is 3 times stronger than necessary with a minimum 3-day holding period. For example, if the barrier is split by 2 out of 3 partitions and is holding water to its full capacity, water retention will still be 3+ days.

B. Construction of water barriers

Constructing Water-Gate water barriers is done by experienced workers with industrial sewing machines. The stitch used is called "barbed stitch." This type of stitch will not come apart when cut. A broken barred stitch doesn’t affect the next barred stitch.

In addition to using a safe type of stitching, we have added a second parallel stitching on all partitions of our barriers (except for the WX-06 model). Of course, we finalize the manufacturing of each barrier with a thorough inspection.

C. Main water barrier materials

The yellow canvas which covers the water barrier is a PVC-coated polyester canvas. The main advantage of this type of fabric is its resistance to abrasion, meaning that if the fabric slips on the ground, tear risk is minimal.

The water barrier is assembled with partitions made of woven polyethylene fabric, which is a lightweight fabric that is extremely resistant to tearing.

The sewing thread used is 100% polyester for well-suited rigidity with the PVC fabric (yellow) and polyethylene partitions.

D. Durability

Since Water-Gate barriers are made entirely of polymer, their life expectancy is estimated at more than 20 years if used occasionally, or for short periods of time.

Although ultraviolet rays are the most harmful to the materials that make up the water barrier, this only amounts to 25% degradation after more than 20,000 hours of sunlight. In addition, the polymer sheets have been treated to counter the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays.

And since the water barrier is made entirely of polymer, there is no risk of degradation due to humidity.

Water-Gate materials easily withstand temperatures from +50°C/+120°F to -40°C/-40°F. Even when stored for several years at these temperatures (up to 10 years of certification according to material manufacturers), the Water-Gate water barrier remains just as effective!