Featuring a modern design and the largest concrete pumps of their kind, the $68.6-million Able Pump Station No. 3 has brought improved flood control to a 2,685-acre area near the Dallas business district.

But in constructing the 23,228-sq-ft facility, the project team had to overcome a flood event themselves. Early in construction in May 2015, the Trinity River flooded past the 40-ft major flood stage for the first time since 2007. Water completely flooded the site’s 60-ft excavation, which contained drilling equipment, excavators and miscellaneous tools.

The city, contractor, design team and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers collaborated to come up with a deep-soil mixing alternative for the earthwork, while the contractor and subcontractors made last-minute adjustments to provide enough equipment so that it would take only two weeks to drain the site. Through their various efforts, the project team was able to limit overall delays to two months.

With the pump station in a highly visible area, the city tasked designers with adding visual interest to the imposing building. Designers incorporated an abstract sculptural element—a 180-ft by 140-ft by 50-ft box—that reflects back to the city skyline and features layers of varying materials. The volute pumps—the centrifugal pumps that power the station— served as the inspiration for the facade’s design.

With a pumping capacity of more than 800,000 gallons per minute, the station has lowered the area’s 100-year flood elevation by an average of 4 ft.

Able Pump Station No. 3 is set to achieve LEED Silver certification later this year.

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