THE US BUREAU OF RECLAMATION has awarded a US$17.8M contract to Weeminuche Construction Authority (WCA) for the construction of certain elements of Ridges Basin dam.
WCA will be responsible for excavating material which covers Ridges Basin dam foundation rock from the structure's left abutment to the centre of the dam and a portion of its right abutment. To expose the foundation rock, some 1.76Mm3 of material will be removed. This will be stockpiled for future use, incorporated into Basin Creek Improvement features, or disposed of in the reservoir basin.
WCA is also to construct access roads and other haul roads which will be used during construction of the dam.
Drop Structure 4 will temporarily serve as part of the storm water management plan. This structure will later become one of thirteen drop structures constructed on Basin Creek to improve the creek's ability to transport release flows from the dam back to the Animas river by dissipating energy and minimising sediment.
