Corps set to begin Damage Assessment of Gavins Point Dam
05/08/2012

Damage assessments using a special type of radar will be conducted this week on a key Missouri River dam following last year's record flooding. The U-S Army Corps of Engineers is focusing on the spillway slabs at Gavins Point Dam. John Remus, chief of the Omaha District Hydrologic Engineering Branch, says the teams will take a close look at material under the concrete slabs.  (play audio   :22   “this damage.”) 
The investigation will start Wednesday at 8 A-M and releases from the dam will need to be reduced to nothing for about eight hours to drain the uppermost portion of the spillway. Remus says stopping the water flow will give them a good look at the entire slab below the spillway gates.  (play audio  :22   “scheduled for this.”)
Stage reductions at Yankton, Sioux City and Omaha are expected to last for about 12 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours, respectively. Missouri River stages below Omaha will be impacted, too, but to a lesser degree. Once the extent of the damage is known, the Corps can develop a repair plan which should be implemented by summer. The goal is to have repairs finished by spring of 2013.

 


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