Villa Rica council declares emergency, approves $150,000 for Cowens Lake Dam repairs

The Villa Rica City Council unanimously declared an emergency and authorized the mayor to sign a $150,000 contract to repair Cowens Lake Dam after contractors discovered a significant void and a failing 30‑inch concrete pipe inside the dam during earlier repair work.

Utilities staff member Mr. Bain told the council the pipe “was constructed inside a concrete cradle that has been damaged and broke underneath the dam,” and said the failure was “washing away” material and creating a sinkhole that threatened downstream portions of the structure.

The repairs were described as required by the state Safe Dams program and additional inspections done by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the dam engineer. “Safe Dams came out and inspected it and provided the requirements to modify that dam and make the necessary repairs,” Bain said, and he reported Tim Grizzard and Associates quoted $150,000 to perform the additional work.

Nut graf: The council approved a resolution declaring an emergency and authorized the mayor to sign the repair agreement after staff said the new problem was discovered only after work began on an earlier, separately approved dam project. The council discussed funding the additional cost by reallocating money already budgeted for other water treatment facility projects.

Council members expressed urgency and concern about leaving the problem unaddressed. Councilman Carter said the situation “is an emergency repair and obviously it’s a concern — if you have a collapsed dam, you got a real problem,” and others agreed that immediate action was necessary to protect public safety and infrastructure.

According to staff, the city previously spent about $120,000 on the initial dam repair work. Bain told council that the contractor uncovered the interior void only after beginning the approved repairs; subsequent inspections by Safe Dams and the city’s dam engineer, Brian Kimsey of Carter Engineering, produced additional drawings and requirements that prompted the higher repair estimate.

To stay within overall budget, staff said they would reallocate roughly $90,000 from other planned projects (building repairs, grounds and paving) to cover the additional $150,000, combined with roughly $60,000 remaining in the earlier dam line item. Council members asked whether the issue should have been apparent earlier; staff said the void was not visible until excavation began and that such surprises are common with dam work.

The council voted, on a motion that both declared the emergency and authorized the mayor to execute the agreement with Tim Grizzard and Associates, to approve the $150,000 emergency repair. The motion passed unanimously.

Staff noted they had engaged Safe Dams repeatedly and that category‑1 dams carry heightened urgency for repairs and state oversight. Council agreed to proceed immediately.

The motion and resolution direct staff to complete the emergency repairs and to adjust project budgets; staff said they will prioritize the work and return to council with any material follow‑ups.

Ending: Council moved to executive session after the vote to address separate personnel and property matters; staff said the emergency repair contract is to be executed promptly and work will continue under the terms quoted to the council.