A company has been contracted to complete Phase 2 of the Rough River Dam Safety Modification project.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) said it awarded a base contract of $320 million to Thalle-Bauer LLC., out of Hillsborough, North Carolina, on Thursday.
“This is a base and option contract with the total contract value expected to be around $655M at contract completion. Phase 2 will include construction of a new outlet works and a full-depth cutoff wall across the dam, which will provide permanent risk reduction to communities downstream,” USACE said in a press release.
Phase 2 involves creating a new outlet works on the left abutment which will consist of a new control tower and stilling basin with a new tunnel connecting the two features, USACE officials said. Once completed and operational, the existing tower will be abandoned, and the cutoff wall will be constructed across the crest of the dam varying in depth from 75 to 180 feet. The final portion of work will relocate KY 79 back to the top of the dam.
Groundbreaking is expected to take place in spring 2026. Phase 2 construction is anticipated to take six to seven years.
“We are looking forward to seeing this critical project … get underway,” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District Commander Col. L. Reyn Mann. “The work planned in Phase 2 will help to lower the dam’s risk and will ensure that it can continue to provide flood risk reduction benefits and serve the local community for years to come.”
The Dam Safety Modification project is a result of a report from July 2012 which highlighted unacceptable risk due to the dam’s foundation being constructed on karst geology. The report recommended major rehabilitation to ensure the structure’s integrity and to lower the project’s risk.
Phase 1, which relocated the crest road and completed exploratory drilling and grouting across the centerline of the dam, was finished in May 2017. In 2023, USACE implemented several Interim Risk Reduction Measures to ensure life safety and further protect the integrity of the dam until Phase 2 is completed.
USACE will hold a public meeting in early 2026 once a timeline for construction is better defined and there is more information to share.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
