Pare received a call from the dam owner who was concerned about muddy water seeping from the base of the downstream stone masonry wall. Pare responded immediately, confirmed that active piping/internal erosion was occurring, and recommended that the impoundment be drawn down to a point where the seepage ceased. Pare was retained by the owner to complete a Phase II inspection which included a subsurface exploration program and installation of instrumentation. It was determined that several large voids existed within the embankment and that the downstream wall was not stable. It was concluded that a complete removal and replacement was a cost-effective approach which reduced the potential for further concerns, minimized maintenance requirements, and allowed the work to be undertaken by local contractors utilizing readily available equipment and materials. Once selected, final design was completed and construction documents were prepared to facilitate the repair of the embankment, stabilization of the downstream side of the dam, and replacement of the low-level outlet.
During the course of the project, the Owner received a Notice of Violation from the RIDEM Office of Compliance and Inspection. Pare assisted the owner in addressing the issues raised in the Notice of Violation and in securing environmental permits, bidding the project, and evaluating the contractors.
Construction was completed and the impoundment level was restored. During construction, Pare provided field quality assurance and design interpretation for the Contractor.
