The City of Grand Junction, Colorado has issued a Request for Proposals for a project that will see updates and modifications made to a more than 70 year-old area dam.
That structure, to the far southeast side of the city, is a part of the Carson Lake, and was classified 5 years ago by the State of Colorado as a high hazard dam.
That classification means that if the dam should someday fail, that failure could conceivably lead to a loss of human life.
City officials say the proposed modifications of the dam are all regarded as preventive in nature and designed to preserve the life of the structure.
The work, which will most likely begin after the traditional runoff season sometime next summer, will entail some demolition, clearing, and grubbing, as well as the installation of a new chimney filter and riprap removal and replacement.
Also including in the project: some excavation, the building of an outlet pipe structure, a new trashrack structure, spillway reconstruction, and installation of a cured in-place pipe and outlet valve installation.
The work will be done in conjunction with the Fort Collins-based Ayres Associates, serving as the design consultant for the project.
The larger Lake Carson reservoir serves as an important part of the water supply for Grand Junction.
Currently, the RFP has a general submission deadline of sometime next March or April, with a more exact timetable to be announced later.
By Garry Boulard
