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Raton Water Works Prepares for Very Expensive Dam Projects

By Marty Mayfield

 KRTN Multi-Media

 

  Raton Water Works is preparing for some expensive and lengthy projects at Lake Maloya with work on the dam and water intake facilities at Lake Maloya at the north end of Sugarite Canyon State Park.

Dan Campbell, Raton Water Works General Manager, noted that the 100 year old earthen dam has grown from one with only a few acre feet of capacity to a dam that now stores over 3000 acre feet of water for the city of Raton. While the dam has weathered many a storm with little problem the new regulations for emergency overflow will require the water department to engineer and expand the emergency spillway and or design a shield to protect the dam in the event of water spilling over the dam above the current small concrete spillway.

When the issue first came up in the 1970s it was calculated that the emergency spillway was about 50% adequate but with the new regulations and weather predictions they are estimating the emergency spillway to only be at 9% of the needed size to handle that catastrophic weather event. The emergency spillway extends from the current boat ramp to the east and around the east side of the dam.

The issue with the water intake is one of age. The conduits or piping was installed first in 1917 and has been extended as the dam grew in size. It was found that one of the pipes was leaking into the dam and as a result it was isolated and valved off while another pipe has been completely closed off with grout. The challenge now is to inspect the other two pipes and determine their condition. Are they in good enough shape to keep using, or are they leaking or crumbling? The pipes are made from cast iron and as the dam grew another section was added and made of concrete, a concrete tube.

The inspection will require the use of divers and a special camera to be placed inside the pipes. This will be a very expensive part of the project costing upwards to $300,000 to perform. Once the inspection is performed the water department will decide how to proceed. If there is damage one option is to use a sleeve inside the existing pipe. If the damage is worse the piping may be abandoned and a new system put in place. One of the concerns is seepage along the pipe or leaking from the pipe causing internal erosion to the dam.

They will also need to drill into the dam and place special sensors to monitor the level of seepage through the dam. Seepage is common in an earthen dam the question is how much is too much. With the age of the Lake Maloya dam the seepage through the dam becomes more of an issue.

According to Campbell and City Manager Scott Berry some of the issues had set on the back burner but with new regulations and more stringent enforcement the state engineers office has made it a higher priority and will also be seeking funding from a federal level and state level to help fund these projects. The city will need to have money available for matching funds, something the water department has been planning for by setting some money aside. Total cost of the projects is yet to be determined but Campbell has mentioned it will be in the millions of dollars.

As Campbell noted these will be expensive and long range projects, ones that will require specialized contractors to perform. He also noted that these will be projects that have to be performed with water in the lake. Draining the lake is not an option.

 

Watershed Restoration Essentially Complete

Raton City Manager Scott Berry reports that the restoration of the Lake Maloya watershed is essentially complete and it is time for Mother Nature to take over.

There is one small project on Segerstrom Creek to correct an erosion issue to complete this fall. The work has been delayed due to the endangered Jumping Mouse protection.

Berry noted that quick response by dirt contractors in the area helped to save the lake from major sediment deposits. The contractors were able to begin work on entrapment ponds even before the smoke had cleared on the Track Fire. Raton Water Works General Manager Dan Campbell noted in the conversation with KRTN that those seven ponds filled to about 60% capacity with sediment keeping that sediment out of Lake Maloya.

He went on to say that early on after the Track Fire that the filter plant had to deal with some turbidity issues but that has gotten better as time has passed. Raton was lucky too in that grass and oak brush quickly reestablished itself with rain after the fire and has continued to thicken and establish a natural erosion control.

Berry noted that it will take the watershed a long time to return to what it once was it has come a long ways since the fire.

Areas where work on the dam may take place

Grass and shrubs and trees occupy the emergency spillway at Lake Maloya. Work will have to be done on this area as it is estimated that the emergency spillway is only about 9% as big as it needs to be to handle a catastrophic weather event.
Grass, shrubs and trees occupy the emergency spillway at Lake Maloya. Work will have to be done on this area as it is estimated that the emergency spillway is only about 9% as big as it needs to be to handle a catastrophic weather event.
The 200 foot wide boat ramp at Lake Maloya is the beginning of the emergency spillway for the lake.
The 200 foot wide boat ramp at Lake Maloya is the beginning of the emergency spillway for the lake.
Work on the Lake Maloya dam will include work to the water intakes that reside well below the water level, vent vipes for the pneumatic valves on the intakes rise above the dam.
Work on the Lake Maloya dam will include work to the water intakes that reside well below the water level, vent vipes for the pneumatic valves on the intakes rise above the dam.

Before the 2011 Track Fire

Fall Colors at Lake Maloya before the Track Fire
Fall Colors at Lake Maloya before the Track Fire

Lake Maloya Fall colors_7920

Boaters enjoy fishing and the fall colors at Lake Maloya before the 2011 Track Fire
Boaters enjoy fishing and the fall colors at Lake Maloya before the 2011 Track Fire

 

During the 2011 Track Fire

Almost lost to the 2011 Track Fire had it not been for the efforts of the many firefighters Almost lost to the 2011 Track Fire had it not been for the efforts of the many firefighters

The smoke lingers after the 2011 Track Fire devastated the watershed around Lake Maloya
The smoke lingers after the 2011 Track Fire devastated the watershed around Lake Maloya
It was a devastating and heart wrenching site around Lake Maloya during the 2011 Track Fire
It was a devastating and heart wrenching site around Lake Maloya during the 2011 Track Fire

After the 2011 Track Fire

Boaters and fishing return to Lake Maloya after the 2011 Track Fire
Boaters and fishing return to Lake Maloya after the 2011 Track Fire
A yellow boom is stretched across the lake to help keep sediment and debris at bay after the 2011 Track Fire.
A yellow boom is stretched across the lake to help keep sediment and debris at bay after the 2011 Track Fire.
Its green again as the houses below the dam were almost lost to the 2011 Track Fire
Its green again as the houses below the dam were almost lost to the 2011 Track Fire
After the 2011 Track Fire
After the 2011 Track Fire
While burned trees still stand the area around Lake Maloya has greened up and looks more normal.
While burned trees still stand the area around Lake Maloya has greened up and looks more normal.
Raton City Manager Scott Berry said the restoration of the water shed is essentially complete but it will be a long time till the lake looks like it once did.
Raton City Manager Scott Berry said the restoration of the water shed is essentially complete but it will be a long time till the lake looks like it once did.
A few years after the 2011 Track Fire the green has returned
A few years after the 2011 Track Fire the green has returned
After the 2011 Track Fire the area around Lake Maloya is green with new growth.
After the 2011 Track Fire the area around Lake Maloya is green with new growth.
Lake Dorothy in 2015 looks great with all the green around it.
Lake Dorothy in 2015 looks great with all the green around it.

 

 

 

 

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