Design-Build:
Bear Creek Dam Replacement
Owner: Bear Creek Historical Society
Location: Bear Creek, Pennsylvania
The original Bear Creek Dam was built in the late
1800s. The 360-foot long, rock-filled, timber crib dam was constructed
across Bear Creek on a 35-square-mile watershed located approximately
10 miles east of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Today, the lake created
by the dam is a source of recreation and tourism for the Village
of Bear Creek.
Historic dam after restoration.
At a height of approximately 20 feet, Bear Creek
Dam was the only remaining high hazard timber crib dam in Pennsylvania
until a heavy rain in February 2000 caused a portion of the dam
to collapse. It was then determined to be unsafe by the Pennsylvania
Division of Dam Safety.
Historic dam before restoration. GFPDC presented a dam replacement
concept that addressed the project needs, while maintaining the
historical aspects of the structure. The solution was to replace
the old dam with a new roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam. The
result was a combination of state-of-the-art technology and historic
preservation. The new dam maintains the same cross-section shape
and profile as the original dam, thus minimizing aesthetic changes
and environmental impacts to the site and provides a reliable recreation
pool, which was important to the community. The new Bear Creek
Dam is also the first RCC dam in the world to be constructed with
a timber face.
Design-Build Services:
- Preliminary and final design
- Permitting
- Regulatory agency coordination
- Construction
- Construction management
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