Rubber Crest Gate
History
In 1998, the Sugar Hollow Dam, which is operated by the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority for water supply storage, underwent a significant upgrade to improve structural stability and spillway capacity. The original metal spillway gates were replaced with a manufactured five-foot-high inflatable rubber dam that was bolted to the existing concrete dam crest. This rubber dam allows for the normal storage of water in the reservoir with the ability to be lowered during extreme storm events for a controlled release of water from the reservoir. The rubber dam has an approximate service life of twenty years and is now due for replacement.
Details
Sugar Hollow Dam
The Sugar Hollow Dam Rubber Crest Gate Replacement project was awarded in September 2020 to Allegheny Construction. The Contractor is expected to begin clearing, grading, and site work in late October or early November, 2020. Construction is currently expected to be completed by the fall of 2021.
The Sugar Hollow Reservoir water level will need to be lowered periodically during construction to allow for inspection, removal of the existing rubber dam, and installation of the new rubber dam.
Visitors will not have access to areas immediately around the dam during construction, and no parking will be permitted during this time in the parking area next to the dam.
Some short-term disruptions to traffic flow along Sugar Hollow Road can be expected when large equipment is mobilized to the site. The contractor will install sign boards ahead of any anticipated traffic impacts.
Schedule
Sugar Hollow Dam
Please note that the work on this project is highly weather and reservoir pool-level dependent. Extreme wet or dry weather may alter the schedule.
- Oct-early Nov 2020: Mobilize to SHD Site, begin site work
- Dec 2020: Begin work on the reservoir, requires lowering the reservoir pool elevation
- Mar-May 2021 : Replace gate, equipment, electrical, SCADA Control panel, etc.
- Fall 2021: Project completion
Cost: $2 million, with funding by the RWSA from the public water customers of the City of Charlottesville and the Albemarle County Service Authority.
