The Bureau of Reclamation awarded a contract to Frehner Construction Company of Coalville Utah on June 26, 2003 to begin the upgrade work at Deer Creek Dam. The work is necessary because it has been determined that soils beneath certain sections of the foundation may liquify if subjected to a significant earthquake. For this reason, the Bureau of Reclamation, in accordance with the Safety of Dams Act of 1978 (amended in 1984) has contracted to have the structure upgraded to modern structural standards. The contract was awarded in the amount of six and a half million dollars.

The work will consist of two separate stages. The first involves the removal of unconsolidated materials downstream of the dam and the subsequent replacement with an engineered fill material. The second will be conducted by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and will involve relocating Highway 189 over the improved foundation and across the downstream side of the dam as part of its renovation through Provo Canyon.

The work on the dam should have no impact on the reservoir or water releases through the dam. The contractor will be hauling earth materials across Highway 189 from August 25, 2003 through approximately the middle of October 2003 between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Beginning in mid-October, the contractor will haul material around the clock. The public should expect some delays during this period, but no road closures are anticipated.

Reclamation's involvement in the project, which began around July 2, 2003 will last until Spring 2004. Deer Creek Dam is a zoned, earth and rock-fill structure with a structural height of 235 feet. It was constructed in 1941 with a capacity of 152,600 acre feet of water. Deer Creek Dam is located 50 miles southeast of Salt Lake City and 14 miles northeast of Provo in Wasatch County.

For more information, please contact Curt Pledger or Don Merrill.