Green River Lock and Dam 3 (Rochester Dam) Renovation

The Rochester Dam Regional Water Commission (RDRWC) was formed in 2013 with interest in protecting the water supply within Pool 3, which serves over 46,000 customers and commercial users. Similar structures along the Green River have recently experienced failures. Therefore, it was of upmost importance to RDRWC to secure Pool 3 by rehabilitating Green River Lock and Dam 3. They reached out to our team to help.

We provided design, permitting support, bid phase assistance, and engineering services during construction for the planned renovation. The design facilitated in-the-wet construction methods, with localized dewatering for certain elements and included a sheet pile wall and grout bags to reduce leakage through the dam and provide a consistent crest elevation, several reinforced concrete weirs, and a bulkhead wall to secure the pool at high-risk areas along the water barrier. The design also included many public safety improvements such as signage and security cabling along the lock walls. For regulatory permitting, we assessed potential impacts to wetlands, threatened or endangered species, cultural/historical and archaeological resources, and flooding.

Due to their efforts, RWRDWC has secured Rochester’s water supply from the Green River for the foreseeable future.