The Water Survey of Canada (WSC) Branch of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) maintain hundreds of hydrometric stations along rivers and streams for the purpose of collecting hydrometric data. Many of these installations were constructed more than three decades ago. A recent review identified design and/or safety deficiencies at many of the stations, and identified many others that were obsolete:
ECCC requires various construction services to upgrade, or in some cases, decommission hydrometric stations, or parts of stations. The services required will vary depending on the upgrades necessary at each station. In general, the work is anticipated to include the supply of materials, labour, equipment and travel for the following services but not limited to:
Installing shallow foundations;
Erecting new (pre-fabricated) towers;
Excavating and installing tie-back anchorages;
Supplying cables and other hardware;
Stringing, tensioning and testing suspended cables;
Installing ladders, raised platforms, signage, aircraft warning markers and other details;
Decommissioning (removal and disposal) of wells, weirs, shelters, cableways, etc.
Typically, ECCC hydrometric stations consist of the following basic water monitoring facilities and components:
A cableway crossing of the creek or river
A shallow large diameter well and associated intake pipes
A small walk-in shelter or cabinet on a stand
An in-stream control structure or weir
Survey benchmarks
Miscellaneous stairs, fences, guards, catwalks and windmills
