Black & Veath has been selected by the Santa Clara Valley Water District to lead an urgent seismic retrofit program for Anderson Dam in California, US. The $150M program will enable the water district to once again use the dam for maximum water supply storage when completed in 2018.
Following a seismic stability evaluation in 2011, the water district implemented self-imposed water level restrictions on the dam, which were later approved by regulators. The evaluation revealed the dam is subject to significant damage if a large earthquake were to occur nearby. To protect downstream communities from the potential uncontrolled release of water, the reservoir will operate at 68% capacity until improvements are completed.
As program manager, black-veatch will work with a team of local small business subcontractors to oversee planning, permitting, design and construction of improvements for the dam.
“Our goal is to minimize community and environmental impacts as well as complete the project in a timely and cost-effective manner,” said Jim Watson, Black & Veatch Program Manager. “Anderson Reservoir is an integral part of Santa Clara County’s surface water supply system. It also provides incidental flood management and recreational benefits as well as habitat for a host of threatened and endangered species, some of which only are found within the county at this dam site.”