Feb. 4, 2019 -- JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Jacksonville District announces the award of $387 million for construction of a Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) Rehabilitation seepage cutoff wall in Palm Beach, Hendry and Glades counties.
The Corps awarded the multiple award task order contract (MATOC) Jan. 31, 2019, for the construction of 28.6 miles of cutoff wall, from the dike crest through the foundation, on the southwestern side of Lake Okeechobee.
Three contractors were selected for the work: The Bauer Foundation Corp. of Odessa, Fla., Bencor Global Inc. of Frisco, Texas, and Treviicos South, Inc. of Charlestown, Mass. All three have experience with similar projects around the country and with the Corps.
“The award of this base contract is a significant milestone toward completing the risk reduction measure around the dike. The cutoff wall will address the remaining critical areas and reduce the risk for the communities around Lake Okeechobee,” said Project Manager Timothy Willadsen. All five task orders in the MATOC are planned to be completed by 2022, he said.
The Corps anticipates awarding the first task order in the spring. A critical design feature in the rehabilitation, the cutoff wall will stop existing piping or internal erosion and prevent future piping as seepage water moves through and under the embankment.
Rehabilitating the Herbert Hoover Dike is Jacksonville District’s number one priority. In 2007, the Corps of Engineers placed HHD on the top of the list of dams in the nation needing repair. The Corps has prioritized and budgeted more funding for the dike than any other dam safety construction project in the nation. More than $1 billion dollars has been invested in work to reduce risk at the dike structure since 2001. The HHD project received a total of $514.2 million from the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 to fully fund the project to completion. In addition to the cutoff wall, the Corps continues replacing water control structures, armoring and raising embankments, and other work that will decrease risk.
For further information about Herbert Hoover Dike, please visit our website at www.saj.usace.army.mil.
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