The US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) has awarded a $115.9 million construction contract to AMES Federal Contracting Group of Burnsville, Minnesota, for the replacement of the spillway at Hyrum Dam in northern Utah.
Hyrum Dam, constructed in 1935 on the Little Bear River, stores water in Hyrum Reservoir for irrigation and municipal use. The 90-year-old concrete spillway is approximately 1,100ft long and includes a stilling basin at its base, with walls ranging between 11 and 19ft high.
“The spillway at Hyrum Dam is used every year to release excess water downstream, and though continuous maintenance has occurred on the spillway since its construction, the 90-year-old structure is in need of replacement,” said Wayne Pullan, Upper Colorado Basin Regional Director for USBR.
Construction is scheduled to begin later this year. In preparation, USBR has started work to replace the dam’s original 24-inch outlet works piping with 36-inch piping. The upgrade will increase the outlet’s discharge capacity from 50 to 200 cubic feet per second.
“Working with our project partners, Reclamation will continue to take every precaution at Hyrum Dam,” said Rick Baxter, Provo Area Office Manager. “That includes our current work to expand the size of the dam’s outlet works so more water can be conveyed through the outlet and alleviate additional stress on the existing spillway until a new one is built.”
Over the years, USBR has conducted regular maintenance and limited releases through the aging spillway. During high-flow events, agency staff have performed around-the-clock monitoring and staged equipment nearby in case emergency repairs were needed.
The South Cache Water Users Association is responsible for operating and maintaining the dam. The construction contract follows years of coordination between USBR and its partners. A Finding of No Significant Impact for the project’s environmental assessment was issued in January 2024.
