Red Willow Dam reconstruction 'substantially complete'

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow Dam is back in business, ready to fully resume the all-important tasks of flood control, irrigation, and recreation for the people of the Tri-State Region of Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado.

Tired but happy, the project superintendent, Thor Shriver, spoke personally with the McCook Gazette on his way out of town. "The work is essentially complete," he said. "Only some fencing and seeding work is left to do."

Shriver, the lead employee for SEMA Corp., was on duty at Red Willow Dam for two years, overseeing a massive, $15.3 million repair project made necessary when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation discovered a sink hole on the face of the dam. That was more than four years ago -- in October 2009.

Immediately worried, Reclamation launched an investigation which confirmed their worst fears: The dam embankment was cracking, threatening the dam and all in the path of the water it was supposed to be controlling.

Wasting no time, Reclamation lowered the level of water in Hugh Butler Lake, the reservoir formed by the damming of Red Willow Creek and Spring Creek. For a short time the Bureau pondered what to do, but it wasn't long before they determined there was only one way to save the lake and the dam: By issuing a multi-million dollar rebuilding of the face of the dam.

Engineering planning commenced and finally, on Sept. 27, 2011, Reclamation announced a contract for $15,346,900 had been awarded to SEMA Construction Inc.. Thus begun the project that is just now nearing completion.

"The dam is now ready for public use," Shriver said. "The last task was the installation of the guard rails. Now all that's left is some fencing and seeding."

Shriver will have to leave those tasks to someone else. He's headed to Texas, where he will supervise the rebuilding of a stretch of railroad. That's the nature of his business. He moves from place-to-place, going where the work is. Originally from Colorado, Shriver said he enjoyed his time in Southwest Nebraska. "You have good people around here. They've been good to work with."

Craig Scott, manager of the Engineering Division for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation office in McCook, confirmed Shriver's report. "The term we use at the Bureau to describe the current level of the project is: Substantially Complete. "We're sending out a news release this weekend."

There's a lot more to it, but Shriver said that what the contractor did -- for $15 million plus -- was:

1. Take the dam down to its core;

2. Replace the under layers;

3. Put in a new sand base;

4. Change the sand, and:

5. Pave the drivable drains.

One of many positive effects is that the drive path over the dam is now much wider, estimated at 15 feet by Shriver. That will give all who visit Red Willow Dam a more convenient view of the water impoundment which has contributed so much to this area since its construction between 1960 and 1962.

Red Willow Dam is an earth-fill embankment located approximately 10 miles northwest of McCook on the southern edge of Frontier County. The structural height of the dam is 126 feet. The reservoir has the capacity to impound 86,630 acre feet of water.

In addition to irrigation and flood control, "The Willow," as it is affectionately known by area residents, is a recreation mecca, noted as a prime fishing spot for walleye, crappie, white bass, channel catfish and wipers. The Willow is also noted for hunting, boating, camping, hiking, and as a weekend cabin getaway place.

Visit the Bureau of Reclamation's official website on Red Willow Dam here.