News Release Archive

Construction Closes Arthur R. Bowman Dam Roadway

Media Contact: John Redding, jredding@usbr.gov, 08/22/2011 08:02
Lynette Ripley , lripley@usbr.gov

For Release: August 22, 2011

The Bureau of Reclamation announced today that the roadway across Arthur R. Bowman Dam will be closed Sept. 6 - Oct. 1, 2011, due to the construction activity to correct safety deficiencies at the structure located about 20 miles southeast of Prineville, Oregon.

Bowman Dam construction work consists of installing a 6-foot high concrete parapet wall on top of the dam and raising a portion of the spillway walls by 2 feet for flood control.

Kirby Nagelhout Construction Co., Bend, Oregon, was awarded the $938,742 construction contract on September 27, 2010.

Signs warning drivers of the roadway closure and detours will be posted at the following locations: Highway 27; Alfalfa Highway; Millican Road at Four Corners; Highway 20; Powell Butte Highway; and the Highway 20 and Highway 27 intersection.

Big Bend Campground located near the dam will remain partially open, leaving nine of the 15 campsites accessible to recreationists. The six closed campsites will be used as a staging area for construction crews.

People are advised to exercise caution around the construction zone and to comply with all road closure and safety signs.

For more information about the construction contact Larry Wolf, Safety of Dams program manager at 208-378-5220; concerns about the campground can be directed to Lynette Ripley at Reclamation's Bend Field Office at (541) 389-6541

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.