Dam costs rise as work is underway
By BRAD ROLLINS - Staff Reporter
Posted: Friday, Apr 07, 2006 - 03:47:21 pm CDT

The transformation of the century-old Rio Vista Dam into a whitewater rapids park will cost as much as three times more than originally thought.

In the days when a groundswell of support from river enthusiasts made it a city council priority, officials said it would cost less than a repair to the aging dam. Estimates then ranged from $600,000 to $1 million.

The project will replace the six-foot dam, built in 1904 to power a mill, with a series of smaller drops engineered to look like natural rapids. Workers this week have installed two four-foot pipes through which they will divert the river's flow from about 50 feet above the dam to about 200 feet below it.

As work gets underway, officials now say the massive project will cost $2.6 million but characterize the early low estimates as understandable given the emergency posed by an engineer's report that the dam could fail at any time.

"We're in uncharted territory," City Manager Dan O'Leary said. "This was not a normal project and we didn't have the time we would in a normal project because it was an emergency situation. All things considered, though, it's really gone remarkably well."

Council members this week took turns saying they were irritated by the over-run, but all said they still think the money is a wise investment for what they hope will be a major tourist attraction.

"I understand that we were working with estimates originally, I just hope that as we move forward and enter into situations like this again, that we keep that in mind that this can happen. What we thought is not what it turned out to be," council member John Thomaides said.

The city council on Tuesday approved borrowing the money from the electric utility fund until certificates of obligation can be sold to fund the project.

A kayaker noticed a large crack in the dam's apron last fall. The city hired an engineer to inspect the dam, who reported that the structure is in the process of failing.

Since that time the crack has widened and others have appeared.

A simple repair to the existing dam was estimated to cost as much as $1 million. But dozens of recreational river users turned up at two consecutive city council members to push for an alternative.

The project is supposed to be completed by Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer.

Considering the difficulties associated with a huge undertaking like the Rio Vista dam project, council member John Diaz said things have gone well.

"We walked into something and didn't really know what we were getting into," Diaz said. "But I was one of the strongest supporters of this in the start because I think it's going to be good for tourism, good for the local economy. I'm still a supporter."