News Release Archive

Pole Hill Canal Work Concludes Ahead of Schedule and Under Budget

Media Contact: Kara Lamb, (970) 962-4326, 12/22/2011 13:27

For Release: December 22, 2011

Reclamation's Eastern Colorado Area Manager, Mike Collins, announced today the conclusion of the box culvert installation at Pole Hill Canal ahead of schedule and under budget.

"We're very impressed with the work done on this project," said Chuck Pedersen, Operation and Maintenance Chief in Loveland who oversees operations and maintenance on the Colorado-Big Thompson Project for Reclamation. "The contractor, Lillard and Clark, was scheduled to install box culverts over the course of two years. Instead, they’ve finished a year ahead of schedule."

Pole Hill conduit was a concrete-lined, open-faced canal prior to the work. Concrete deterioration, evaporation losses, and other maintenance concerns were starting to have an impact on the half-mile long conduit after nearly 60 years of operation. The contractors replaced the open concrete structure with more than 300 box culverts, creating a closed canal. The improvement will save tens of millions of dollars in maintenance over the coming years.

"We had good weather and a good plan," explained Paul Wagner, Project Manager for Lillard and Clark. "We enjoyed working with Reclamation. It was entirely a team effort and we’re excited how everything came together."

Pole Hill Canal is part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project and helps divert 220,000 acre-feet of water a year for northeastern Colorado. It also helps generate 759 million kilo-Watt hours of electricity each year.

For more information on Pole Hill and the C-BT, please contact Kara Lamb at (970) 962-4326 or klamb@usbr.gov.

# # #

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.

Relevant Link:

Eastern Colorado Area Office Home Page