Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam at Lake Seminole is slated to receive $18.7 million in federal stimulus money to make repairs on the structure and perform invasive species control activities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently announced.

The Apalachicola, Chattahoochee and Flint (ACF) rivers will receive $13.2 million, some of the money to perform a reallocation study of Lake Lanier and provide maintenance dredging on the Chattahoochee River.

The Army Corps’ Mobile, Ala., District, which has jurisdiction over Lake Seminole and the ACF system, has a total of 172 projects totaling more than $293 million in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi.

Five are construction projects and 167 are for operation and maintenance projects.

The money is part of the massive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which President Barack Obama signed into law on Feb. 17, appropriating $4.6 billion to the Corps for its civil works program, the Corps said in a news release.

Woodruff projects

The following are the list of projects and the Corps’ descriptions of the work for Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam on Lake Seminole, as well as the projected costs:

 Replace relief well piping. The existing piping is not able to successfully relieve any foundation pore pressures. This piping replacement will help prevent damage to the foundation structure and increase stability and safety of the project structures, $125,000.

 Replace emergency generator. Reduces risk of failure of a critical component of plant emergency operations and reduces future maintenance cost, $75,000.

Perform repairs to recreation infrastructure including upgrade of electrical system at Eastbank Campground and resurfacing of roads at Hales Landing and electrical installation and hire additional temporary rangers and term employees. Reduces future maintenance costs, risk of failure and damage to recreational vehicles. Brings project up to current national standard, $1.6 million.

 Perform invasive species control activities. Improves access for recreational users and restores habitat for sport and native fishes, $750,000.

 Repair and rehabilitate project buildings in order to improve energy efficiency, climate control and sanitary conditions. Repairs and rehabilitation includes insulation, insulated glass, solar water heaters, roofing, etc. These activities will reduce future operation and maintenance costs and improve public health and safety, $1.5 million.

 Award contract to execute existing engineered recommendations to inhibit groundwater seepage. Drill exploratory core borings in west abutment to locate main seepage pathways through abutment, install piezometers in west abutment borings, and plug known seepage points. Critical Dam Safety item that is the recommended next phase of the seepage remediation at the project. These activities will increase the safety and stability of the project, $5 million.

 Install hydro-turbine flowmeter system to accurately meet IOP flow requirements. This project will improve the accuracy of water release measurements. These releases are required to meet BiOP provisions for the support of endangered species habitat below the Woodruff project, $500,000.

 Award contract for draft tube gantry crane refurbishment to return crane to full capability, reduce risk of failure and reduces future maintenance costs, $400,000.

 Update sediment range surveys and upgrades to increase reliability of equipment and improve water management functions. This will provide more accurate data for water control decision making, $350,000.

 Replace Site Management Office roof. Reduce risk of damage resulting from leaks and reduce future maintenance cost, $75,000.

 Replace lock hydraulic control system. These repairs will increase the reliability of the structure and reduce future maintenance costs. Activity upgrades aging infrastructure and decreases unscheduled outages, $250,000.

 Issue contract for spillway/draft tube/lock gate repainting. Coating failure on all gates and corrosion is progressing. Activity required to increase reliability of the structure and reduce future damage to structure. Reduces future maintenance costs, $2 million.

 Issue a contract to perform arc flash study and implement recommendations. Improve plant safety by identifying power plant arc flash hazards and developing PPE requirements and procedures. Brings plant into compliance into compliance with NFPA 70E, the standard for electrical safety in the workplace, $100,000.

 Rehabilitate elevator controls. This project reduces downtime from current system failures and reduces future maintenance costs, $150,000.

 Replace unwater pumps. Reduces the risk of a failure, which could lead to plant flooding and reduces future maintenance, $100,000.

 Issue contract for replacement of plant motor control centers. Aging motor control centers are reaching the end of their serviceable life. New motor control centers will improve reliability and availability, $125,000.

 Award contract for stainless steel raw water piping system. This project improves generator reliability by eliminating outages due to cooling system problems and reduces future maintenance costs, $1 million.

 Award contract power plant HVAC system. Digital generator controls could be effected by extreme conditions resulting from failures of the current systems, as well as reduced future maintenance cost, $600,000.

 P&S and award contract for spillway bridge. Structural damage exists due to corrosion. Activity required to increase reliability of the structure and reduce future damage to the bridge structure. Reduces future maintenance costs, $3 million.

 Issue contract to replace intake debris removal rake and rack system on power plant, $1 million.

ACF projects

The following are the list of projects and the Corps’ descriptions of the work for the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee and Flint rivers, as well as the projected costs:

 Repair and rehabilitate project buildings in order to improve energy efficiency, climate control and sanitary conditions. Repairs and rehabilitation includes insulation, insulated glass, solar water heaters, roofing and operate recreation areas to increase customer service levels by hiring additional temporary and term employees. Provides safer recreational experience for visitors and reduces future maintenance costs, $1 million.

 Award contract to perform mandated Lake Lanier reallocation study, complete ACF Water Control Manual and required Environmental Impact Study. These activities are key to proper management of the ACF Basin for project purposes including water supply, recreation, hydropower, flood damage reduction, navigation, and fish and wildlife, $3 million.

Update sediment range surveys and upgrades to increase reliability of equipment and improve water management functions. This will provide more accurate data for flood risk management decision making, but also help to ensure water supply and environmental conditions are met, $150,000.

 Procure replacement vessel for 36-year-old MV Campbell—This is only vessel on the ACF River system and low water conditions make it impossible for others to reach the project at most times. Vessel would be the only one available for emergency repairs to locks, dams or spillways. Plans and specifications are complete. Expect to join onto an existing contract for expedited delivery, $5 million.

 Perform maintenance dredging of the Chattahoochee River. This dredging will provide a reliable waterway segment for the Inland Waterway System and will restore authorized project depths eliminating navigation safety hazards. Existing delivery order contract is available and environmental permits are current, $1.5 million.

 Fabricate spare lock anchorage assemblies. Bare minimum funds have been provided to operate and maintain the locks and spillway gates for the past four years. This work would reduce the risk of lock gate failures and correct a known structural deficiency. General design is complete with only minor modifications for site specific requirements in order to be ready for fabrication, $2.5 million.

 Replace GWA lock motor control centers. The current motor control center is antiquated; spare parts are not available and they are reaching the end of their serviceable life. Replacement with a modern system will decrease unscheduled outages due to equipment failures consequently increasing the lock reliability and decreasing maintenance costs, $50,000.

Carol Heard can be reached by e-mail at carol.heard@thepostsearchlight.com, or telephone at (229) 246-2827, Ext. 114.