Lagoons · Berms, Liners, and Site Care
What Is Freeboard on a Lagoon?
Freeboard is the vertical distance from the water surface up to the top elevation set by the design or permit. Enough freeboard protects against waves, storms, settling, and overtopping.
Read the level gauge and record lagoon elevation the same way each time. Fast rises may come from high inflow, rain, snowmelt, a blocked transfer, or reduced discharge. Unexpected drops may come from discharge, evaporation, a measuring error, or leakage.
Use your facility's approved elevation limits and response plan. Do not borrow a number from another site.
Act before high water becomes urgent. Confirm open storage, valve status, transfer capacity, the weather forecast, and approved discharge options. Report any threat of overtopping right away through the required channels. Water flowing over a berm can erode it quickly and lead to failure.
Key point: Freeboard is working capacity and containment protection, not wasted space.
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Lagoons and Small Wastewater Plants
This page comes from the course. It covers facultative and aerated lagoons, monitoring, lagoon problems, berms and liners, package plants, permits and safe work, one step at a time, with short knowledge checks and a certificate of completion.
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