SALISBURY – Officials say unanticipated construction challenges are to blame for a delay in the completion of a dam rehabilitation project.
In a work session of the Wicomico County Council last week, Public Works Director Dallas Baker announced the Morris Mill Dam rehabilitation project, which has closed a portion of South Division Street in Fruitland, will now be completed by March 30, 2020.
“Originally, we were telling folks it would be open by the end of the year,” he said. “Unfortunately, we took a look at the project progress and it now looks like it’s going to be backed up to the end of March. That’s a significant revision.”
Work on the dam began in September of 2018 and was initially scheduled to be completed in a year, according to a statement released last week from the Wicomico County Executive’s Office. However, water was found seeping through the dam shortly after construction started, requiring crews to halt work and complete a redesign of the project.
“The redesign required a lengthy re-permitting process by the Maryland Department of the Environment Dam Safety Division (MDE) to ensure the High Hazard Dam met current federal and state dam safety requirements,” the statement reads. “When work resumed in late spring 2019 the estimated construction completion date was late fall/end of December.”
Officials reported the contractor has been steadily working since the spring. But at a recent meeting between the public works department and the contractor, a revised schedule was discussed with the contractor putting forward a new completion date of March 30, 2020.
“The dam design has changed significantly,” Baker said last week.
Construction challenges that crews have had to contend with include a live 6-inch gas main within the construction area, overhead utilities, water seepage from the pond and surrounding groundwater and poor soil conditions. Officials said the redesign also added 30-foot-deep steel sheet pile walls, along with twin 6-foot-wide concrete spillway pipes buried approximately 20 feet under the road surface.
“It is Public Works number one priority to keep the project moving and keep the public informed of any changes to the schedule,” the statement reads. “Public Works, the contractor, MDE and the designing engineer meet twice monthly to review the project progress and look for ways to expedite the schedule and solutions to any issues. Proper rehabilitation of this dam is essential so the properties downstream of the dam are properly protected.”
Officials are asking those with questions and concerns to contact Wicomico County Public Works at 410-548-4872.
