Damaged irrigation canals don’t need to be replaced or moved—not when there are several options to repair them relatively easily. Whether your irrigation canals are lined with clay, concrete, or a flexible liner, there are several options to fix them. If spots along a clay or concrete lined canal are collapsed or missing, you may need to replace these areas—and if that stops a leak, then a flexible liner isn’t necessary. With concrete liners, it is also possible to seal cracks using various adhesive products—but there are risks with this since most adhesives and sealants contain harmful chemicals that will pollute the water. Mortar is one way to fill larger gaps and voids, but these kinds of patches will eventually become brittle, which will lead to eventual failure yet again.
For clay and concrete liners, the easiest option is to install a flexible liner like BTL Liners’ Armor Pro over top of the existing liner. This will stop excessive seepage, and in spots where concrete is cracked, it will stop leaks, too. Geomembranes are also a good insurance policy against future leaks because they will help prevent wear and tear that could lead to new leaks. If you’re using a geomembrane that is leaking, you can always replace the existing material with new.
