WENDON, Ariz. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District completed underwater gate installation May 4 at Alamo Dam in Alamo Lake State Park.
Installation of the bulkhead gate is the first phase of required maintenance at the dam, which is about 45 miles east of Lake Havasu City and the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge.
“Although there will be an inspection of the upper conduit, which hasn’t happened in 30-plus years, it is unlikely that communities downstream will notice any water flow changes during the bulkhead gate installation and inspection process,” said Pam Kostka, a Los Angeles District operations project manager with a focus on dam safety. “The inspection will provide information about maintenance needs of the dam.”
The new bulkhead gate was designed with a high degree of confidence in protecting inspectors and machines working behind it. The original bulkhead gate was not structurally adequate for the current safety standards needed for the inspection process.
“Philadelphia District designed the gate,” said Kostka, who holds a master’s degree in aquatic ecology from Baylor University. “They are also assisting in assessing the structural integrity of several service and emergency gates as well as the steel structures associated with the gates.”
In addition to support from the Philadelphia District, the Los Angeles District contracted divers to properly place the gate underwater and coordinated with a Seattle District dive safety officer.
“Now that the gate is installed, I feel very relieved, and we can continue to keep everyone safe and secure downstream,” said Henry Wassinger, a structural engineer with the Philadelphia District. “The dive team, the contractors and the LA District team are doing a great job out here. It’s been great collaborating with them.”
The Alamo Dam, located at Alamo Lake State Park on the border of La Paz and Mohave counties in Arizona, is a USACE multipurpose project authorized under the Flood Control Act of 1944, Public Law 78-534.
The dam is one of three operated by USACE in Arizona.