SACRAMENTO, California -- Two Sacramento area projects were recognized for their excellence during an awards dinner as part of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Region 9 and San Francisco Section’s annual infrastructure symposium April 22 in San Francisco.
The Sacramento District took home two prizes amongst 21 categories of California projects including 2021 ASCE Region 9 Project of the Year, presented to the Sacramento River East Levee Contract 1 project.
The Sacramento River East Levee (SREL) Contract 1 is part of the American River Common Features program authorized in 2016, a $1.8 billion effort aimed at reducing the flood risk for more than half a million people who live and work in the Sacramento region. The Sacramento River East Levee Contract 1 project provided seepage and stability improvements to approximately three miles of levee across four locations between Miller Park in downtown Sacramento and the Freeport Water Intake Facility in Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood.
Construction of the project was slated to begin just as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the world. The USACE team and construction crews persevered through unprecedented work conditions to complete the work.
“This team is committed to reducing the flood risk to our local community. We are passionate about it, dedicated to it, and feel honored to be a part of it,” said Nikole May, project manager of the Sacramento River East Levee project. “As a result, the performance of this team is superlative and it is great to see it be appreciated and recognized.”
The Sacramento District’s Folsom Dam Raise Dike 8 project took home the 2021 ASCE Region 9 Flood Management Project of the Year.
The Folsom Dam Raise project is designed to build upon the previous improvements to the Folsom Dam facility in Folsom, California, which includes the addition of the auxiliary spillway completed by USACE and Bureau of Reclamation in 2017, by raising the height of the dikes and dams that surround the lake by as much as three-and-a-half feet in order to add nearly 50,000 acre-feet of temporary storage capacity to Folsom Lake, and help reduce flood risk for the entire Sacramento area.
“We are increasing the storage capacity of Folsom Lake, but that extra capacity is what we call ‘surcharge’—it’s only meant to be used in an emergency,” said Chelsea Stewart, project manager for the Folsom Dam Raise project.
Dike 8, located on the southern bank of Folsom Lake, is one of the first elements of the Folsom Dam Raise project to be completed. The project required the excavation and removal of nearly 10,000 cubic yards of material, cleaning the foundation and replacing the existing structure with 15,000 cubic yards of imported aggregates and earth fill suitable to meet the new requirements of holding back water during large, rare rain events.
“It’s an honor to lead such a dedicated and exceptional team,” said Col. James Handura, commander of the USACE Sacramento District. “These awards are a reflection of not only the work we’re doing locally but across the nation.”
The American Society of Civil Engineers is the nation’s oldest professional engineering society, founded in 1852. The regional awards are presented to projects that demonstrate the greatest engineering skills and represent the greatest contribution to civil engineering progress and to society within the State of California.