News Release Archive

Public Scoping Meeting Planned on Safety of Dams Modification to A.R. Bowman Dam

Media Contact: John Redding, (208) 378-5212, jredding@usbr.gov
Larry Wolf, lwolf@usbr.gov

For Release: July 07, 2009

The Bureau of Reclamation will host a public information and scoping meeting on July 21, to discuss alternatives and the environmental assessment process of the proposed Safety of Dams modification to the Arthur R. Bowman Dam.

The dam, located about 20 miles south of Prineville, Ore. is part of the Crooked River Project.

The meeting will be held in the Carey Foster Hall at Crook County Fairgrounds, 1280 South Main Street beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Prineville, Ore.

The meeting is open to the public. The meeting facility is accessible to people with disabilities. Please contact Larry Wolf at the Regional Office in Boise, Idaho, for sign language interpretation for the hearing impaired or other auxiliary aids.

Under the proposed action, Reclamation would implement modifications to Arthur R. Bowman Dam to boost flood protection during a large flood event which were identified through a safety of dams study. The proposed action is the construction of a 6-foot high parapet wall on the upstream side of the dam crest in conjunction with an enhanced emergency action plan.

"Several design options have been studied by Reclamation. Each one offers different degrees of flood protection but they all fortify the dam to withstand a larger flood event than the dam can currently withstand," says Larry Wolf, Reclamation safety of dam program manager. "Cost becomes a major factor in how far to go with modifications," Wolf adds.

The public scoping meeting will give individuals and organizations an opportunity to present their ideas, views, and comments on the proposal and the impacts to be considered.

Written comments, questions about the proposal or the NEPA process can be sent to Larry Wolf, Civil Engineer; Bureau of Reclamation, 1150 North Curtis Road, Suite 100, Boise ID 83706-1234, (208) 378-5220 or lwolf@usbr.gov.

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