Gordon Briefed By Corps On Center Hill Dam Repairs
August 7, 2007, LANCASTER – U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon and several local officials were briefed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the rehabilitation plans for Center Hill Dam at the site this morning.
“I wanted to see firsthand the condition of Center Hill Dam and hear from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers what they plan to do to address the situation,” Gordon said. Repairs to the dam are planned to begin later this year.
Gordon was joined by DeKalb County Mayor Mike Foster, Smith County Mayor Michael Nesbitt, Trousdale County Mayor Jerry Clift and Sumner County Mayor Hank Thompson.
Construction on Center Hill Dam was completed in 1951. Over time, limestone and sinkholes have taken a toll on the dam and caused seepage. “An uncontrolled loss of pool would cause devastating downstream damages and have long-term impacts on flooding and flood control, hydropower, water supply, environmental resources, and recreation features,” states a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report to Gordon.
The rehabilitation plan recommends installing permanent cutoff walls and supplemental grouting into the main embankment and saddle dam foundations. The grouting will stop the seepage. The plan also recommends replacing the powerhouse station service generator to enhance flow for water quality downstream of the dam.
“Keeping our infrastructure in good repair is of the utmost importance,” Gordon said. “Center Hill Dam has a history of seepage due to environmental factors and age. The safety of residents who would be affected by any breech of the dam is paramount.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will use news articles, Web sites and public meetings to keep the public informed of Center Hill Dam’s condition and of the progress of the rehabilitation. The Center Hill Dam Seepage Reduction Study is available at http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/CenterHill/.
The total cost to rehabilitate Center Hill Dam, to be funded by the federal government, is $240 million. The project is expected to be completed by 2014.
