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March 18, 2011

Army Corps. visits Cullman to update Duck River plans

By Trent Moore The Cullman Times

CULLMAN — Planning for the Duck River dam took a major step forward this month, as Cullman officials met with a delegation from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to further update designs for the upcoming reservoir project.

Representatives with the City of Cullman, engineering firm CH2M Hill and the U.S Army Corps. met in Cullman County at the site of the proposed reservoir March 1-3.

“The Corps. had their complete design team in town from Nashville and Mobile, and CH2M Hill had their dam experts from across the nation,” engineer Bill St. John, the owner’s representative for the project, said. “It’s basically a review of the Corps.’ design efforts they did originally, and bringing the CH2M Hill team completely up to speed. They got to ask each other questions, and basically had a big exchange of ideas for the design.”

St. John said the engineers delved deeply into the project, defining and explaining minute details in an effort to finalize the plans. Much of the original dam designs were done by the Corps. in the 1990s, though CH2M Hill has since replaced the Corps. as engineer  of record.

“They went in and looked very closely at the geology of the site, and the concept behind the original dam plans,” St. John said. “Including every part, from the dam construction, to the spillway, and all those aspects. It took all of three days, and was a very strong and impressive gathering. I thing CH2M Hill is really aware of all the efforts that have gone into this project to date.”

The approximately $68 million reservoir project, which will be located in northeastern Cullman County, and will encompasses a 640-acre lake with a 32-million-gallon-per-day capacity, as well as a six-mile pipeline. The Duck River reservoir will serve as a secondary water source to the area’s sole supply, Lake Catoma.

* Read the complete story in the Friday, March 18, 2011, edition of The Cullman Times.

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