Construction of the Flower Creek Dam is delayed and Libby Mayor Doug Roll said it may not be competed until 2015. Earlier this year, officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rescinded a 2012 comment on the project and asked that a biological assessment of local grizzly bear, Canada lynx and bull trout populations be completed before the project moves forward.
Roll was critical of the federal agency during a recent interview and said delaying the project is putting Libby’s citizens at risk. Built in 1946, the dam is now considered inadequate. Engineers say it could be compromised if there was a seismic event in the area. The dam holds back a reservoir that provides water to the city.
“It is bad,” Roll said. “It’s going to set the project back at least a year.”
The dam replacement is part of a $12.4 million water system improvement project in the city that began this spring. In 2010, Morrison-Maierle completed a core sample test of the arch dam and found that the concrete strength was less than 1,000 pounds per square inch. Normal strength is between 3,000 and 4,000 pounds per square inch. A report, issued by Morrison-Maierle in September 2011, stated that under normal conditions the dam would be usable for another five years. If a seismic event did compromise the dam, Flower Creek and Libby could be flooded. Last year, Lincoln County installed a new sensor and alert system at the dam. If there were a sudden drop in water behind the dam, 911 dispatchers would be notified and could view images of the site to decide if a siren should be sounded in the city.
The new dam will be built 85 feet downstream from the current one and will cost an estimated $8.4 million and be covered by a USDA Rural Development loan and grant. Construction was to begin this year.
According to a memo from Morrison-Maierle, and provided to the Beacon by Roll, engineers were in the process of acquiring the final permits for the project. In February 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service commented on the project and told Morrison-Maierle that, although there are grizzly bears and bull trout in the area, construction of a new dam downstream would have little impact.
“We believe that the nature of the project and the semi-urban setting location for the proposed work will prevent this project from resulting (in) any significant adverse effects to threatened or endangered species,” officials with the federal agency wrote.
But on Feb. 27, 2013, a year after the agency issued the comment on the project, it rescinded its initial response and asked that an assessment of grizzly bear, Canada lynx and bull trout populations be completed. Tim Bodurtha, supervisor of FWS’s Kalispell office, said his office is simply following protocol and that an assessment is necessary. He said the assessments have already started and usually take two to three months. After that, a biological opinion will be issued within 135 days.
“I’d call it a miscommunication,” Bodurtha said of the 2012 comment. “What we should have stated in that email is that a biological assessment should be conducted… We’re not standing in the way of this project, we just need to go through the right steps.”
Roll expressed frustration over the delays and said the assessments have put the city over budget for permitting. He said the city has spent an extra $20,000 on the studies this year. He also said the city may not get the USDA Rural Development grant and loan because of the delays. According to Roll, the deadline to issue grants and loans is next month.
“We’re in jeopardy of losing (funding) and, frankly, I don’t think we’re going to get it this year,” he said.