By Cpl. Sean P. McGinty
1st Marine Logistics Group

A pier created by the Marines of Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 1st Marine Logistics Group's Haditha Dam Forward Logistics Element stands in the Euphrates River, supporting two pumps that pull 20 thousand to 30 thousand gallons of water from the river daily. The pier was created to combat the fluctuating water levels of the Euphrates. Photo by Cpl. Sean McGinty.

In June, the Marines of Haditha Dam’s Forward Logistics Element created a small pier to combat the constant rise and fall of the water levels in the dam’s reservoir.

“That pier saves us probably about 6,000 gallons of water a day,” said Staff Sgt. Damian S. Vaughn, FLE officer in charge, Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 1st Marine Logistics Group. “Without it, we would have had to replace our water pumps over and over.”

The pier, a 40-foot long wooden dock with two water pumps sitting on top of it, isn’t much to look at. Constructed in two days by the CLB’s FLE team, the pier gradually ascends from the water level, though the structure’s appearance hardly reflects its contribution to the mission.

“The water level here can change ten feet a day,” said Sgt. Eric C. Miller, utilities chief. “With the pier, our pumps stay above water so they don’t short circuit. Also, when the water level drops, we can move the pumps to the end of the pier where the water is over 20-feet deep.”

These pumps are what provide the entire dam with clean, fresh water. They pull 20 to 30 thousand gallons from the aqueduct every day, sending 25 thousand gallons of water through reverse osmosis water purification units, which purify the water as efficiently as any system in the States.

“We purify our water as well as bottled water companies do,” Miller said. “We use the same chemicals and the same reverse osmosis process.”
The Marines here also provide Combat Outposts Haditha and Haqlaniyah with 20 thousand gallons of water weekly.