The Odland Dam provides outdoor recreation for boating and fishing, and it had undergone frequent minor repairs for decades. The Golden Valley County Water Resource Board asked Barr to inspect the dam, consider a range of repair alternatives, and recommend a comprehensive repair or replacement plan to provide a longer-term solution.
Barr conducted structural and geotechnical inspections of the earthen dam embankment and 100-foot-wide concrete spillway. The results influenced the board and design team to consider more comprehensive repairs or replacement in lieu of continued small-scale repairs. By performing design-flow modeling, Barr determined that the spillway width was twice that required to satisfy state dam-safety standards. We also created an inundation map reflecting a 2-foot rise in reservoir elevation as part of the alternatives evaluation.
Using the results of the inspection and hydraulic modeling, Barr facilitated a four-hour value-based-design workshop with a small design team. The session resulted in the creation of a comprehensive list of potential solutions. High-level construction cost estimates were also developed for three viable alternatives determined during the session.
Barr presented descriptions, sketches, construction cost estimates, and pros and cons for each alternative to the board, with one alternative recommended as best value. The board selected replacement of the existing spillway as the most cost-beneficial and long-term solution.