| October 20, 2006
 (Baltimore, Md.) The Loch Raven Dam in Baltimore, Md., has received nine prestigious engineering and construction awards since its dedication in September 2005. A gravity dam originally constructed in 1914 and subsequently enlarged, Loch Raven underwent a massive, three-year rehabilitation to prepare for future storms and meet new federal guidelines.
Gannett Fleming, an international planning, design, and construction management firm,
served as the prime engineer for the dam-strengthening project, completed for the City of Baltimore Department of Public Works in September 2005. The joint venture of ASI/Cianbro Corporation was the contractor.
Most recently, the Loch Raven Dam was selected as the 2006 National Rehabilitation Project of the Year by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. This award recognizes a unique remedial design that advances state-of-the-art technology in the field of dam safety and exemplifies high professional engineering standards.
The Loch Raven Dam was also recognized with the following awards during the last year:
- American Public Works Association – 2006 Public Works Project of the Year, Structures Category, $10 - $100 million
- The American Society of Civil Engineers, Maryland Chapter – 2006 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award
- Associated General Contractors of America – 2006 AON Build American Award in the category of municipal and utilities renovation
- Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. – 2006 Eagle Award
- The American Council of Engineering Companies – 2006 National Finalist Award in the Water Resources Category
- The American Council of Engineering Companies, Maryland – 2006 Award of Merit
- The Construction Management Association of America – 2006 Project Achievement Award
- Mid-Atlantic Construction Magazine – 2005 Award of Merit in Public Works.
“We are honored to have been a part of this award-winning team,” stated Ronald Drnevich, P.E., chairman and CEO of Gannett Fleming. “The Loch Raven Dam Rehabilitation Project was vital to ensuring the dam’s continued stability through the worst of probable storms and ultimately protecting people’s lives.”
The Loch Raven Dam impounds 23 billion gallons of water and serves as a primary water source for the Baltimore region. Failure of the dam had the potential to cause a significant loss of life and property, as well as negatively impact the drinking water supply that serves nearly one million people.
The goal of the Loch Raven Dam project was to bring the dam into compliance with current safety regulations, while maintaining the reservoir as a water source throughout the building period.
For the project, the team incorporated several innovative design and construction elements. Fifty-seven high-capacity post tension anchors were designed to pin the existing dam to the underlying bedrock, increasing the dam’s stability during construction. Approximately 50,000 cy of roller-compacted concrete was also produced on-site and placed against the front of the dam, adding substantial mass and changing the profile of the gravity base structure. Steel gates were designed in the non-overflow section to maintain access to Loch Raven Drive, resulting in considerable cost savings.
Delivered five months ahead of schedule, the Loch Raven Rehabilitation Project was completed nearly $500,000 under budget. As a result of the project, the structure was rehabilitated to withstand the most severe storm conditions expected during the regulatory-defined probable maximum flood.
Gannett Fleming performed the study, design, and construction phase services for this project and was responsible for all on-site materials testing. Additionally, the firm assisted the city in conducting a significant community outreach program. Meetings, site visits, and regular print and Internet updates helped to educate the public about the project. The successful Loch Raven Dam rehabilitation was the result of this effective public involvement and the collaborative partnership between the owner, engineer, contractor, and state dam regulatory agency.
For more information, please contact Rachel Ellis, P.E., at 410-585-1460 or via e-mail.
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