Federal regulators have given the go-ahead for repairs to the Grand Lake’s Kerr Dam by the Grand River Dam Authority.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission responded to the request of the GRDA for spillway gate repairs to the Kerr Dam of the Markham Ferry Project. The GRDA made the initial request in April and approval was made last week in a letter.
Documents indicated the work will be in two phases with the GRDA executing the first phase and a onsultant/contractor completing the second phase. The FERC notice gave approval to the GRDA’s plan and schedule for installing scaffolding and completing work on Gates 1 through 5.
However, FERC also asked the GRDA to provide more details on its plans to restore a trunnion pin orientation where they have rotated. The regulators recommended trunnion friction testing at all gates and wanted the GRDA to investigate causes for the distortion of certain parts of the connections to Gates 10,13 and 14.
“This damage may possibly be due to overstressing, which may be related to gate misalignment” noted FERC.
Once Phase 1 work is completed, FERC wants the GRDA to meet and discussion the need for any additional pre-work submittals.