BURNET COUNTY, Texas — Improvements are underway at Wirtz Dam, a project that includes replacing the dam's 10 floodgates with new, custom-made gates that will ensure the dam continues to operate reliably.
The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) announced on Wednesday it has begun the $76 million, three-year project at the dam.
The dam, which forms Lake LBJ, was completed in 1951 with nine floodgates. The 10th was added in 1974 when the original Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant was constructed.
The work will be conducted one floodgate at a time to make sure the dam remains operational and available to pass floodwaters downstream. The work on each gate is expected to take about two months, with the entire project expected to be completed by 2025.
“We could do this project more quickly if we replaced multiple floodgates at once, but we are in Flash Flood Alley and that is not a viable option,” said John Hofmann, executive vice president of Water. “Dams along the Highland Lakes play a critical role in managing floodwaters, and we have to maintain their readiness at all times.”
The project also includes upgrading the hoist machinery that lifts the flood gates. Two hoists will be replaced while eight will be refurbished. Additionally, the LCRA will replace the existing hoist bridge.
The LCRA reported that during the project, the area immediately upstream of the dam on Lake LBJ that is off limits to boaters will be expanded by about 150 feet to 300 feet, which will allow construction crews enough room to remove and replace the gates. A buoy line will be placed to cordon off the construction area.
Each gate weighs around 120,000 pounds and will be built in an area south of the dam. They will the be moved via construction barges and cranes.
Construction crews will be on site starting later this month, with heavy equipment arriving mid-February. Installation of the first gate is planned for April.
The LCRA has posted more information about the project on its website.