Buckeye Lake Dam Rehabilitation

In 2015, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a grave warning about the stability of the Buckeye Lake Dam in central Ohio. The 4.1-mile-long Class I high-hazard-potential earthen embankment, more than 180 years old, did not meet dam safety requirements and was at risk of catastrophic failure. Dam failure would endanger an estimated 3,000 lives downstream of the dam and threaten 2,100 homes and businesses. In response, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) lowered the lake’s water level by 3 feet to winter pool level, reducing the risk of collapse, and sought ways to upgrade the dam as quickly as possible.

ODNR engaged GFT to design interim risk reduction measures (IRRM) to protect the community. GFT’s innovative solutions included an embankment stability berm, upstream of the dam, to preserve its integrity and a deep soil mix cutoff wall to stop seepage through the embankment. The team completed the IRRMs in eight months—almost a year ahead of schedule—using fast-tracked construction manager at risk (CMAR) delivery. Successful installation allowed ODNR to raise the lake’s water level to a foot below normal, boosting area businesses that depend on boating, fishing, and tourism. Our firm also served as lead designer for the dam rebuild that provides up to 100 years of protection from dam failure.

The stability berm not only protects the existing embankment, but also created a platform for workers to construct the cutoff wall. The 30-foot-wide berm runs the length of the dam and consists of approximately 400,000 cubic yards of granular fill. To build the wall, workers dug a trench 42 feet deep in the center of the berm along its entire length, while simultaneously injecting a slurry that formed a belowground barrier. This deep soil mixing method created an effective wall and minimized the risk of damage to adjacent homes during construction.

For the project’s second phase, the team designed a new buttress wall between the cutoff wall and the old dam face, to provide long-term protection against dam failure. Deep soil mixing was used to construct the wall, which runs the full length of the embankment. The top of the new dam was clad in concrete and topped with grass and a paved path to create a lakeside promenade and offer vehicle access for inspections. The new dam allowed ODNR to return water levels to normal, shoring up the area’s economy, and providing long-lasting protection for Buckeye Lake that meets dam safety requirements and community expectations.