BRA authorizes $1.68 million Walter P. Moore study of Bay 9 transition beam and weir box at Moore Shepherd Dam
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Summary
The board approved a contract with Walter P. Moore to investigate seepage through the transition beam at Moore Shepherd Dam’s Bay 9, a two-phase study involving historical document review, confined-space sampling, sonar/ROV mapping and seasonal monitoring with a not-to-exceed fee of $1,682,710 (including 10% contingency).
The Brazos River Authority board unanimously authorized a Walter P. Moore two-phase engineering study to assess seepage observed at Bay 9 of Moore Shepherd Dam and to recommend whether continued monitoring or mitigation is needed.
Chief Projects Officer Mike McClendon summarized the project history, noting that a 1987 inspection recorded downstream movement of the dam and that a weir box installed in Bay 9 has been used for monthly seepage measurement for decades. McClendon said monthly measurements typically show about 1–2 cubic feet per second and “over the last 35 to 40 years, of monthly testing, there's been no measured flow increase,” but recent engineering inspections recommended further investigation of flow through the transition beam and the degraded collector pipe.
The proposed scope calls for Walter P. Moore to perform a substantial document review (records back to 1938), confined-space material sampling, non-destructive evaluations, monthly air and water sampling, sonar mapping with an ROV, geotechnical and structural evaluations, risk assessment workshops, and development of construction-feasible repair concepts. The fee shown to the board was $1,500,000 plus a 10% contingency; the resolution authorized the General Manager/CEO to negotiate and execute a contract not to exceed $1,682,710, which includes the contingency.
Board members asked about modern monitoring options, the study’s two-year timeline (driven by the need to capture seasonal flow variations), confined-space hazards, and whether contractor workshops would be required to propose monitoring innovations. Staff confirmed the work will include opportunities during workshops for consultants to propose monitoring technologies and that findings and any recommended actions will be submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s dam safety program for review.
The motion to authorize the contract was made by Director Lattimore and seconded by Director Huber; the board approved the authorization by unanimous roll call.
