Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Richmond Dam topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Brown County hears Richmond Dam progress: 24/6 piling, seepage cutoff wall to start Aug. 3
Summary
County staff and a legislative representative reported that Sioux Falls Construction is driving sheet piling at Richmond Dam, Foothills is placing roughly 2,000 cubic yards of fill per day and Bauer Foundations is scheduled to begin a seepage cutoff wall on Aug. 3 with 24‑hour, six‑day work until complete; staff said the lake may begin refilling once the wall is finished.
Brown County commissioners received a construction update on the Richmond Dam on July 28, which detailed recent work and near‑term plans to complete a seepage cutoff wall.
Janelle summarized the weekly progress report, saying Sioux Falls Construction has resumed driving sheet piles on the upstream cofferdam and Foothills completed excavation of the new working pad. She told the board that Foothills is placing about 2,000 cubic yards of earth fill per day and that Bauer Foundations is scheduled to begin full production of the seepage cutoff wall on Aug. 3, working 24 hours a day, six days a week until that element is finished.
“Sioux Falls Construction will begin driving pile 24 hours a day, 6 days per week starting last Monday,” Janelle said during the meeting. County staff acknowledged the schedule could produce noise for residents immediately north of the dam but said residents had been notified and crews were cooperative.
County staff (Scott) noted the operational goal: once the cutoff wall is constructed the lake may begin to take water back on, which would assist replenishment during fall or spring runoff. The board discussed timing and agreed on continued coordination between project contractors, county parks staff, and residents handling shoreline cleanup and silt removal.
The commission said updates will continue under the reporting requirement embedded in the appropriations amendment and that staff will provide further schedule notices when major milestones (such as the cutoff wall completion) occur.
