The US Bureau of Reclamation is to resume a seismic safety modification project at Boca Dam near Truckee in California today, following its seasonal closure in November 2019, with social distancing guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other COVID-19 precautions to be followed during construction.
The construction project corrects seismic risks and includes the addition of a stability berm, a 25ft wider crest and a reinforced concrete road. The spillway was updated for seismic safety in October 2019.
Project construction will continue until November 1, 2020, with the Boca Reservoir to operate without construction interruptions during 2020.
The original construction of Boca Dam was completed in 1939; the dam is 116ft high and 1630ft long. The dam creates Boca Reservoir with a capacity of about 40,000 acre-feet.
The reservoir regulates the Little Truckee River and provides water for irrigation, recreation, fish and wildlife benefits, and municipal and industrial uses in Truckee Meadows.
The dam is owned by Reclamation and operated by the Washoe County Water Conservation District.
Boca Dam construction; photo credit Donna Potter, US Bureau of Reclamation.
