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Flood Panel LLC Designs Custom Gates to Protect Westerly Pump Station from Flood Threats

WESTERLY, RI, June 16, 2022 – Flood Panel LLC, a leading manufacturer of commercial flood barriers in the U.S., announced it designed custom flood gates for the Canal Street Pump Station as part of a multi-million-dollar infrastructure project to strengthen the facility’s resiliency to extreme flood events. National Flood Protection LLC, the national corporate partner for Flood Panel, consulted on the design requirements and managed the installation.


“Across the country, critical infrastructure like this pump station in Westerly is vulnerable to flooding events that can cause tremendous damage and disrupt important services,” said Tom Osborne, president, Flood Panel. “Our custom solution incorporates lighter materials, and is easy to install and use whenever the nearby river threatens to flood.”


The hinged gates provide 6 feet of protection at the opening of a concrete perimeter wall around the municipal wastewater treatment plant, located on the Pawcatuck River between Rhode Island and Connecticut. The double-gate design includes a custom removable mid-span support with a very low sill for easy passage of equipment and vehicles. Made of aluminum, the gates are nearly 30 percent lighter than steel doors and are easier to open and close, while strong enough to withstand flood water.


“National Flood Protection was an integral partner in being able to deliver this project to the owner on time and within budget,” said Hugo Key, principal, Key Corporation, the general contractor on the project. “Due to the COVID pandemic, it has never been more difficult to procure the resources necessary to complete a project. National Flood Protection pushed through to get the flood gate we needed, when we needed it.”


“We really enjoyed working with Key Corporation on this project. The concrete flood wall they constructed was exactly as it should have been allowing the custom designed gate to fit perfectly,” said Russ Ellington, president, National Flood Protection. “The combination of a high-quality product with excellent building conditions allowed us to deliver a successful project to our client.”

A large metal gate is sitting in the dirt in front of a house.

Flood Panel designed custom flood gates for the Canal Street Pump Station as part of a multi-million-dollar infrastructure project to strengthen the facility’s resiliency to extreme flood events.

About Flood Panel Hinged Flood Gates

Flood Panel’s Hinged Flood Gates are permanently installed at the opening location. The system can be custom designed for almost any width in a single or two-door configuration. Once shut and locked, an effective seal is created with no further reinforcements. Because the barrier is permanently installed on the opening, it provides a quick response time to flood threats. The front surface of the gate can be covered or colored to match the mounting structure for aesthetic appeal.


For the Canal Street facility, the steel frame design was integrated into the concrete walls. Before installation, the wall was welded to the sill frame to form an “L” configuration, eliminating the need for field welding. The frame’s sill has a connection plate at the midspan, allowing the installer to mechanically connect it to the mid-span sleeve. The same design was used on both sides of the mid-span support to make the entire installation seamless. The assembly design was also modified to make it easier for the installers to manage the large parts, which made installation more efficient and quicker. Custom gear hinges and custom stainless “door dogs” (latches) were also used on these gates. View the gates here.

A large metal gate is sitting in the dirt in front of a house.

Flood Panel designed custom flood gates for the Canal Street Pump Station as part of a multi-million-dollar infrastructure project to strengthen the facility’s resiliency to extreme flood events.

About Flood Panel Hinged Flood Gates

Flood Panel’s Hinged Flood Gates are permanently installed at the opening location. The system can be custom designed for almost any width in a single or two-door configuration. Once shut and locked, an effective seal is created with no further reinforcements. Because the barrier is permanently installed on the opening, it provides a quick response time to flood threats. The front surface of the gate can be covered or colored to match the mounting structure for aesthetic appeal.


For the Canal Street facility, the steel frame design was integrated into the concrete walls. Before installation, the wall was welded to the sill frame to form an “L” configuration, eliminating the need for field welding. The frame’s sill has a connection plate at the midspan, allowing the installer to mechanically connect it to the mid-span sleeve. The same design was used on both sides of the mid-span support to make the entire installation seamless. The assembly design was also modified to make it easier for the installers to manage the large parts, which made installation more efficient and quicker. Custom gear hinges and custom stainless “door dogs” (latches) were also used on these gates. View the gates here.

About Flood Panel LLC

Flood Panel LLC, based in Jupiter, Fla., designs, engineers, and manufactures high-quality flood protection products for commercial construction projects, including various flood barrier designs, flood gates, flood panels and flood doors. Flood Panel along with National Flood Protection LLC, its national corporate partner, provide a consultancy approach that includes product design specific to each opening of the client’s building, distribution and installation services, structural engineers, architects, a complete range of flood product supplies, expert flood protection analysis and a highly-trained project management team for assistance from pre-construction through post-installation and maintenance. For more information, visit www.floodpanel.com.