WY Leg Pushing New Dams, But Costs A "Buzzsaw"; One Existing Dam 50 Years Past Its Useful Life

[hatrack]

As state water developers search for more than a half billion dollars for dam and reservoir projects, undertakings that have traditionally advanced with little resistance, they’ve run into a new buzz saw of uncertainty powered by rising costs, shaky construction estimates, a fickle bidding environment and cautious legislators. Wyoming’s drive to store and distribute water comprises at least 17 projects — 13 of which are estimated to cost $541.7 million in 2020 dollars. That sum doesn’t even account for what may be the state’s biggest safety threat — the dangerous LaPrele Dam above Douglas — that an engineer said Wednesday could cost up to $112 million to rebuild.

Lawmakers are pausing to reexamine the dam-building environment, the potential funds available and the merits of the potential investments. They recently cut more than $71 million from a water funding bill and saw Gov. Mark Gordon veto a $45 million residential water/sewer appropriation. Further, the state’s Water Development Commission on Wednesday rejected the lone bid on the Leavitt Reservoir expansion project in Big Horn County after it came in $31 million above the original $39 million estimate. Rep. Evan Simpson (R-Afton) urged the commission not to use $26 million in contingency funds to forge ahead with the project, even after it had been trimmed from $70.3 million to $66.6 million.

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The Wyoming Water Development Commission organized a tour of the LaPrele dam Aug. 12, 2021. Constructed in 1909, the dam is now considered at risk of catastrophic failure. (Dustin Bleizeffer/WyoFile)

Although it’s only become a worry in recent years, the threat from LaPrele, which could inundate parts of Douglas and Interstate 25 should it fail, has been noted since the 1970s. It was in that decade some 50 years ago that water managers determined the structure had reached the end of its useful life. Patchwork enabled irrigators and others to brush off the increasing danger until sizeable rockfall hit and damaged the Ambursen-style structure in 2016.

Managers in 2019 restricted the amount of water the 130-foot high, 113-year-old LaPrele Dam could hold back and only then began seriously addressing potential replacement. That could cost as much as $112 million, consultant Rausch told the water commission Wednesday. A preliminary estimate for reconstruction ranges from a low of $67 million and settles in the middle with an $84 million price tag, Rausch said. Water developers had previously estimated that LaPrele replacement would cost between $50 million and $80 million.

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https://wyofile.com/once-legislative-darlings-dams-now-face-fresh-scrutiny/

[Chainfire]

1. It is nearly impossible to construct infrastructure and billionaires at the same time.

There is just not enough wealth to do both. Since the billionaires control the government, you know ahead of time who wins.

I think that Bezos is good for at least three dams from scratch without having to worry about paying his electric bill. Figure in the other 700 or so billionaires in the country we could get a lot done...

[cbabe]

2. Wyoming nuclear power and major bitcoin mining

need lots of water and power.

Turning those billionaires into bazillionaires.

So gotta spend some money to make more.

[hunter]

3. It sounds like it would cost less to tear down the dam and buy out a few dozen farmers...

... than it would be to build and maintain a new dam.

But no, farming is a sacred way of life...



We could pay farmers who don't want to leave these unsustainable and subsidized farms to restore and maintain these lands to something resembling a natural state.

Rural areas have far too much political power. That's a fundamental flaw of our government. The votes of rural people count more than the votes of urban people. It's not surprising, ours is the nation of the notorious 3/5 of a person rule.