BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – Raleigh County Parks and Recreation and Lake Stephens have announced the start date for the Dam Rehabilitation Project.
All Con Inc. will be the company completing the work. They were awarded the contract in the competitive bidding process in July of this year.
Some areas of Lake Stephens will be closed during this project. The dam parking area will be closed starting September 22, 2020. Kayaks can launch from the main marina until its closure. Starting on October 1, 2020 boat access to Lake Stephens will be closed due to the location of launches and the water level. Officials have partially opened the gate on the dam to allow the water level to drop slowly over the next two weeks. The water being released will be increased after the Marina closes to allow the water to drop to an adequate level for the work on the dam to be performed. The dam area and the surrounding facilities will be closed until the project is completed. The project is estimated to be complete by the beginning of January. Although the winter boat launch may not be available until the water level is adequate.
Drilling and blasting will be part of the project. The approximate dates that blasting will occur are between October 5 and October 23. Access to the dam and overlook areas will be restricted during those times. Anyone in the vicinity of the area may hear warning sirens and blast shots during daylight hours throughout those dates.
The RV and tent camping will be open until October 31, 2020. The cabins and pavilion will remain available.
The project consists of increasing the crest of the dam, modifying the auxiliary spill-way and flow area, adding wave protection to the lakeside of the dam, and repairing the rock facing on the downward slope of the main spill-way. The dam is working and there is no threat of failure. This work is being done per the WVDEP Dam Safety guidelines.
For more information, please, visit our website https://raleighcountyparks.org/, call 304-934-5323, or email parksandrec@raleighcounty.com.
