Contract Awarded to Strengthen Dam
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded a $21-million contract to Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Mont., to strengthen quake-vulnerable Casitas Dam, officials said Friday.
The company will strengthen the base of the dam, build an earthen berm to widen and buttress the structure and broaden the width of the dam’s crest. In the end, the dam will be bigger, heavier and less vulnerable to soggy soil conditions that can cause ruptures during strong shaking, officials said.
Federal officials said the dam is safe for the moment but is vulnerable to collapse in a significant earthquake. Sirens are being installed this month along the Ventura River as a warning system in the event of dam failure during construction. Work at the dam, located on Coyote Creek near Oak View, will begin in mid-July and be completed in December 2000.
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