Watershed Dam Rehabilitated in Gwinnett County   

A multiyear cooperative effort between the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Gwinnett County, Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission (GSWCC), Upper Ocmulgee RC&D Council, and Gwinnet Soil and Water Conservation District has resulted in the upgrade of Yellow River Dam Number 17 (Y-17).

This dam was originally constructed in 1967 when Gwinnett was still predominantly rural. As such, it was designed to protect flooding of farmland but because of urbanization, now protects homes and major infrastructure. This change in land use precipitated the need to evaluate this structure to determine if it should be removed or upgraded to meet more stringent criteria.

Designers and planners involved in this process evaluated many alternatives including some as drastic as removal of the dam and purchasing the homes in the downstream failure zone. A unique aspect of this dam is its location; Y-17 is located within Collins Hill Park and provides all residents the benefits of seclusion and respite in a hustle and bustle world. Through both the desires of local residents and economic analysis, it was determined the best alternative was to upgrade the structure.

Approximately $1.7 million dollars, six months of construction, and several years of planning have yielded a safer dam. Y-17 is now armored with a roller compacted concrete overlay to protect the dam and its downstream residents from a sudden deluge of water caused by a failure. Except for the visible armoring on the top of the dam, residents might never know this change has taken place; because the lake is in a park setting, the decision was made to cover the back steps with earth fill and vegetation.

This dam is the first of its kind in Georgia. There are ongoing cooperative efforts between NRCS and Gwinnett County to complete the rehabilitation of two additional dams in 2006. Many are benefiting from the tireless efforts in cooperation and coordination spearheaded by Jimmy Bramblett, NRCS, Water Resources Program Leader and Sam Fleming, Gwinnett County, Department of Public Utilities.

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