The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District is in the process of refurbishing three Tainter gates at New Hogan Dam in Valley Springs, California.
The $6.7 million retrofit project will replace nearly every moving part except the large, curved panels of the Tainter gates themselves— including additions such as environmentally-friendly paint and lighting, new water seals, and an electric hoist system.
This is the first major overhaul of the dam since its inception in 1963.
"I've seen water reach near the top of the gates, but thankfully they've never been opened during flood stages," said Richard Marmolejo, New Hogan Dam’s maintenance leaderman for the last 21 years. "Flood risk reduction is the primary function of the project and it's extremely important we make sure the spillway remains fully operational should we ever need to use it."
New Hogan Dam is located on the Calaveras River about 28 miles east of Stockton. The 38-foot-wide by 36-foot-high gates are part of the main dam’s concrete spillway structure, which sits about 600 feet south of the main dam.