AESI designed the Smith Lake Dam Rehabilitation project which included embankment rehabilitation, concrete spillway removal and a new rock-lined spillway design. The primary objectives of the project included:
- To reconstruct Smith Lake Dam to achieve compliance with the current Dam Safety Design Standards;
- To restore the reservoir to maintain a viable fishery pond close to the community of Whitefish; and
- To provide recreational opportunities to hikers, picnickers, and fisherman.
The project was funded by a DNRC RRGL Grant and a Future Fisheries Grant. The project was designed and constructed on schedule and under the allotted project budget. AESI staff worked closely with local and Helena based DNRC staff throughout the project collaborating on design and construction oversight.
The dam rehabilitation included the following elements:
- Remove existing concrete outlet structure.
- Broaden the crest of the embankment to 12 feet.
- Provide a 4H:1V side slope on the downstream embankment.
- Raise the crest of the dam roughly 1.5 feet.
- Install a rock-lined spillway into the existing ground east of the dam.