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Construction

Raising a dam Stay informed Project review and permitting
Current construction activities

Activities on the construction site:

  • Construction site development is ongoing, including building temporary offices, maintenance areas and storage locations.
  • Drilling and blasting activities support site development and dam foundation preparation. The contractor begins by drilling in specific locations and then loosening the material with blasting activities. If you would like to be notified about these activities via email sign up here, or visit Nextdoor or My Map.
  • Dam foundation preparation creates a stable foundation for the expanded dam. This concrete placement is separate from the main dam structure and must be completed before the dam raise, which will begin in 2024.
  • Dam face preparation uses ultra high-pressure water to remove the top layer of the dam face. About 200,000 square feet of concrete on the surface of the dam will be roughed up by the hydrodemolition process.
  • Quarry development, which will create rocks and sand for concrete production, continues. This development includes excavation and drilling and blasting.
  • A temporary batch plant is located at the base of the dam and produces concrete for dam foundation preparation. At times, there will be road restrictions on Gross Dam Road to allow for concrete deliveries from the temporary batch plant to the dam abutments. Road restriction notices are provided via email (sign up here), Nextdoor, My Map and on-site signage.
  • Crusher plant assembly is underway. The crusher plant will be located near the quarry at the former Osprey Point boat launch. The rock, gravel and sand needed for the dam raise will come from the crusher plant.
  • Batch plant assembly has started. The batch plant will take materials produced at the crusher plant (rock, gravel and sand), and mix them with cement, fly ash and water from the reservoir to create the concrete for the dam raise.
  • Nighttime hauling between where Gross Dam Road crosses South Boulder Creek and at the T-intersection by Gross Reservoir Headquarters. From 6 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday through Saturday, flaggers will direct traffic through the area, with estimated wait times of approximately 10 minutes.

Other activities:

  • Intersection improvements at Highway 72 and Gross Dam Road began February 2023. The new intersection alignment was open on June 26. Denver Water and its contractor, Kiewit Barnard, thank the public and neighbors for your patience during the work to complete improvements.
  • Roadway improvements on Gross Dam Road began in March 2023. Activities include removing tree and brush materials from work areas, roadway excavation, placement of fill materials and roadway grading, among other work. Roadway improvements on Gross Dam Road are expected to continue through summer 2023. Additional information on roadway activities and closures can be found on the project My Map.

 

You can see the most up-to-date information, including public access, road closures and blasting activities, on the map below.

Tips on how to use the map for desktop and laptop users:

  • To zoom in/out on the map: Press the + or – buttons on the bottom left side of the map or double click an area on the map.
  • To see additional details on a line or pin on the map: Click the item and a box on the left side of the map will appear with additional information.
  • To move around the map: Using your mouse, click and hold while moving your mouse to move map.

The video below provides an update on recent construction activities at Gross Reservoir.  

What is next?

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