West Branch Reservoir drawdown planned: Upcoming Corps work at Colebrook River Lake

Courtesy Photo | Aerial view of Colebrook River Lake on the Farmington River in Colebrook, CT  

COLEBROOK, CT, UNITED STATES

07.10.2019

Story by Timothy Dugan 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District

Repairs to the Hydraulic Cylinders and Position Indicator Rods at the Colebrook River Lake Dam on the West Branch of the Farmington River in Colebrook, Connecticut, will be completed under the terms of a $1,145,000 contract issued recently by the New England District. Work will be accomplished by Marine Diving Solutions, LLC of Aurora, Colorado. The contract was awarded on July 10, 2019.
The Corps anticipates construction will extend over a two-to-three month period in the fall of 2019. Repair work should not greatly impact downstream water levels, activities and fish and wildlife habitat, according to Corps of Engineers officials.
Prior to this work, the Hartford Metropolitan District will draw down the West Branch Reservoir behind Goodwin Dam to about 580 feet over a period of about 30-35 days in order to do this work. It will remain at this level until construction work is completed and then slowly be raised to normal levels. The pool level behind the Colebrook Dam will remain at normal levels.
This drawdown will prevent hydropower production at Goodwin Dam during this period, but water will continue to be released downstream of Goodwin Dam for water activities and fish and wildlife habitat on the West Branch of the Farmington River. Once work starts at Colebrook Dam the Corps will continue to operate two of three sets of gates as needed. One set of gates will be closed by dropping a 9,500-pound bulkhead in front of the gates so work can be done. Each set of gates will undergo this same closure operation to make repairs.
The Hartford Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) is currently removing its turbines at Colebrook Dam and performing other work there. This work will be completed before Corps work starts.
Colebrook River Lake D on the West Branch of the Farmington River was completed in 1969 at a cost of $14.3 million. At capacity, the 1,300-foot-long, 223-foot-high dam can impound a lake of 1,185 acres containing 16.56 billion gallons of water. To date, the project has prevented damages of $92.7 million.

• Date Taken: 07.10.2019
• Date Posted: 09.10.2019 11:15
• Story ID: 339240
• Location: COLEBROOK, CT, US