JAMESTOWN, KY — Work crews at Wolf Creek Dam hit a major milestone, successfully removing the first of its massive spillway gates. This action signals the modernization of the dam's infrastructure, replacing all 10 original tainter gates and lifting equipment that have been in continuous operation since 1952.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Nashville District and its contractor, American Bridge Company, slid the spillway gate onto a platform that could be moved onto a work barge located next to the dam on Lake Cumberland.
“Its removal was a pivotal moment. It makes it possible for the contractor to prepare the spillway bay for installation of the new spillway gate and new lifting equipment,” said Greg Bishop, Nashville District Project Manager.
USACE’s water managers are maintaining lake levels within current parameters agreed upon with the Southeastern Power Administration. The public will not experience significant drawdowns of the lake elevation. The most distinguishable change to reservoir levels during the construction period may be a lower peak summer pool from 723 feet to closer to 720 feet. This adjustment lowers project risk during construction while still falling within current operating targets.
“During construction, removal, and installation of each gate, public safety is our top priority,” Bishop added.
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Replacement is needed because a Spillway Radial Gate Evaluation Design Document Report in 2016 revealed the 10 spillway tainter gates are subject to overstress due to trunnion friction issues. Trunnion friction is the force generated around the trunnion pin during a gate lifting operation. It is caused by the bearing of the trunnion pin against the gates’ trunnion hub and bushing, which is the rotating point of the gate.
Each spillway tainter gate is 37 feet high by 50 feet wide. The contractor is limited to three inoperable gates at any period of time, always leaving seven operable gates. As an additional risk reduction measure, only one gate bay will be open without a gate at any given time during construction. Replacement of gates will only occur between June and November each year, which is considered the dry season, targeting lower peak summer lake elevations.
USACE awarded the $109.45 million contract for the Wolf Creek Dam Spillway Gates Replacement Project to American Bridge Company in September 2022. The project is fully funded by the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022.
Wolf Creek Dam is located on the Cumberland River in Jamestown, Kentucky. The dam forms Lake Cumberland, which is 101 miles long and has 1,255 miles of shoreline.
