Photo by Samuel Weldin
After three years of work, a $250 million shield against high water is officially complete in Stutsman County. Pipestem Dam was decided to be high-hazard by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and improvements were made to prevent spillway erosion and dam failure in the event of major flooding.
To commemorate the completion of the Pipestem Dam Spillway Modification Project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host a ribbon-cutting Tuesday morning at 10. Col. Robert Newbauer, Commander of the Omaha District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be in attendance, along with Senator John Hoeven, Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden, Mayor Dwaine Heinrich, and other project partners and community stakeholders.
The project included construction of a labyrinth crest, stepped spillway chute, and stilling basin. According to engineers, hydrologists, and geologists, these updates were necessary to increase flood risk reduction. With these improvements, the City of Jamestown and communities down the James River Valley will reportedly have increased protection against floods.
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