Waco: Eroding bank leaves Lake Brazos Dam at risk without $5 million fix
A long-neglected segment along the Lake Brazos Dam has deteriorated to an unsafe degree, according to city officials.
Engineering firm Freese and Nichols estimates it will cost about $5 million to repair and reinforce an earthen embankment on the east side of the Brazos River that has been steadily eroding. The embankment was built in 1969 as part of the original dam, which has been replaced twice.
Waco Metropolitan Area Regional Sewerage System Superintendent Cliff NeSmith said the structure is relatively stable, but one severe rain event could be enough to overwhelm it.
“The concern is that you’d have a failure here,” NeSmith said. “If it failed, you’d drain Lake Brazos and it would be catastrophic upstream as everything came through here. We haven’t had anything catastrophic yet. It doesn’t appear it’s going to happen anytime soon, but the city’s just trying to be ahead of it and fix any problems before it happens.”
Read more: https://www.wacotrib.com/news/government/city-eroding-bank-leaves-lake-brazos-dam-at-risk-without/article_146c6953-84af-58d2-9a2a-74836b5fc32a.html