FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2006
Contact:
Troy Rife 231-775-9727
Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014
Construction Upgrades to Begin in Early June on Ludington State Park's Hamlin Dam
Construction to rehabilitate the Hamlin Dam in Ludington State Park will begin the first week of June and will continue through November, Department of Natural Resources officials announced today.
Access across the dam may be restricted for extended periods of time to ensure visitor safety. Visitors are asked to use caution near the project and heed posted closings. Any questions about the status of access can be directed to park staff at 231-843-2423.
The project will address needed structural repairs to the dam's concrete surface and associated abutments. Weir gates will be installed that will make it easier to regulate water levels on Hamlin Lake. The project budget is $1.6 million and is funded by a Sport Fish Restoration Grant and DNR Waterways Funds. The construction contract has been awarded to Gerace Construction of Midland based on competitive bids.
The Hamlin Dam was constructed in 1913 and deeded to the state of Michigan in 1935. This repair will ensure future access to the diverse recreational opportunities available at Ludington State Park and help preserve the natural resources and ecosystems along the Hamlin Lake shoreline.
The DNR is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural resources for current and future generations.
Coffer dam failure halts dam work temporarily
8-4-2006 By BRIAN MULHERIN Daily News Staff Writer
HAMLIN TWP. — A portion of the coffer dam isolating the Hamlin Lake Dam failed on Friday.
The coffer dam, which serves to dry out part of the permanent structure so repairs and improvements can be made, is made of sheet piling. According to Park Supervisor Dan Flaherty, the portion that failed was a kind of plug that allowed the straight-edged piling to match up with the irregular shape of the existing structure.
Flaherty said the only impact the coffer dam failure had was to allow water into an area that had been dried out. The resulting flow that came over the dry portion of the dam was dirtier than the other water flowing over the dam because of concrete dust and silt, Flaherty said.
Divers arrived at the park early Friday afternoon and inspected the breach in the coffer dam. Gerace Construction crews were searching for a material to re-plug the area between the coffer dam and the existing dam.
The problem was not considered major set-back to the project and work should continue once the gap is plugged.
The Hamlin Dam is undergoing repairs and improvements this summer thanks to $1.7 in state and federal funds, most of it grants.
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