Oroville Spillways Construction Update -- July 11

Published:

Workers remove concrete forms from a finished structural concrete panel on the middle chute of the Lake Oroville main spillway during Phase 2 of the recovery effort .
Figure Caption

Workers with Kiewit Infrastructure remove concrete forms from a finished structural concrete panel on the middle chute of the Lake Oroville main spillway during Phase 2 of the recovery effort in Butte County, California. DWR/2018

SACRAMENTO – Today the Department of Water Resources (DWR) provided an update on construction-related activities for the Lake Oroville Spillways Emergency Recovery Project.

 

Construction on the Main Spillway

  • Foundation clean-up and placement of dental and leveling concrete continues on the uppermost 730 feet of the spillway chute. Later this year, crews will place structural concrete walls and slabs.
  • Crews are currently placing structural concrete slabs and walls on the middle chute. Earlier this year, construction crews removed the temporary roller-compacted concrete walls on the middle chute. Placement of structural concrete slabs and walls this year will bring the middle chute to final design.
  • Crews have placed 37 of 378 structural concrete slabs. Crews will install 126 wall placements as well, for a total of 504 concrete placements this year on the upper and middle chutes.
  • Mechanical demolition of the energy dissipaters, or dentates, at the bottom of the main spillway continues as crews prepare for a new layer of structural concrete anchored with epoxy-coated steel dowels.
  • November 1, 2018 is the public safety construction milestone to complete placement of all structural concrete on the main spillway. Dry finishing, concrete curing, joint sealing, completing sidewall backfill and site cleanup will continue on the main spillway after November 1.

 

Construction on the Emergency Spillway

  • Construction of the southern half of the roller-compacted concrete splashpad is anticipated to begin July 16. The RCC buttress at the base of the emergency spillway will be built later this year.
  • Work at the emergency spillway site is not dependent on the public safety construction milestone and will continue past November 1, 2018.

 

Recreation and Other Updates

  • Fees were waived for day use and boat launching at the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area as part of DWR’s free access program last Thursday and Friday, July 5 and 6. The remaining free access days are August 2 and 3 and September 6 and 7.
  • The Dan Beebe Trail remains open between Glen Pond and Canyon Drive. DWR and California State Parks opened this section Friday, June 29. Visitors have access to over three miles of trails, which run along the southern shore of the Diversion Pool.
  • More than $30 million in recreation improvement projects are underway to build new boat ramp lanes, extend existing lanes for low-level water access and add new site amenities at recreation sites throughout the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area.
  • For more information on these recreation improvement projects, visit DWR’s Lake Oroville recreation page.
  • The independent Board of Consultants will meet with DWR for the 19th time on July 16 and 17.

To view photos and video of the Lake Oroville Spillways construction, visit DWR’s Oroville Spillway photo gallery and YouTube channel.

 

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For more information, follow us on Twitter or Facebook, read our news releases or visit our Oroville Spillway Incident webpage.

Contact: 

Erin Mellon, Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Department of Water Resources

(916) 651-2440 |  erin.mellon@water.ca.gov