VALLEY ROUNDUP : Pacoima : Modifying Dam’s Spillway Authorized
The county Board of Supervisors recently approved new construction at Pacoima Dam.
Beginning in March, workers will modify the dam’s spillway, which carries off excess water. The dam will be strengthened to withstand faster moving water, said Donna Guyovich, spokeswoman for the county Department of Public Works.
The spillway, which is 16 feet in diameter, will be enlarged by 10 feet, allowing it to pass 24,700 cubic feet of water per second, Guyovich said.
The county will begin accepting bids for the project in November. The work is expected to cost more than $10 million and take about two years to complete. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the county for 75% of the project’s cost, Guyovich said, and county flood control funds will pay the rest.
Workers will also build a new control house with a helicopter landing pad at the dam, which was built in 1929. Located in the San Gabriel Mountains, the 365-foot-high dam keeps mountain runoff from flooding the San Fernando Valley floor and helps recharge the ground-water supply.
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