The City of Grand Junction has issued a Request for Proposals for work on the Carson Reservoir Dam.
That facility, built in 1947 and located within the Grand Mesa National Forest, provides water for the city as well as recreational fishing.
A report issued by the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, through its Colorado Dam Safety program, earlier rated the structure as a “high hazard jurisdictional dam,” due to its aging condition.
In response, city leaders have pushed for what is regarded as a needed general upgrade of the dam.
To that end, late last year the Colorado Water Conservation Board approved a $3 million loan to the City of Grand Junction, which owns and operates the dam, for work on the facility.
The total $3.5 million project, designed to improve the dam spillway, outlet works, and deep seepage collection, will include demolition, clearing, and grubbing work, as well as some structure removal and spillway reconstruction.
Also included: riprap removal and new placement, along with the installation of new seepage sand chimney filters and a perforated pipe toe drain system on the downstream side of the dam embankment.
Measuring 56 feet in height, and roughly 620 feet in length, the Carson Reservoir Dam has a storage capacity of around 520 acre-feet of water.
The RFP has a submission deadline of April 30.
By Garry Boulard
