Many will remember the term “weather permitting” during the time Lake Peachtree was being dredged. That term also applies to the completion of the spillway project, given the nearly 21 inches of rain that has fallen since January. Weather permitting, the project will be done by the end of July.
Above, an update on the Lake Peachtree spillway project was heard May 17 by the Peachtree City Council. Pictured, from left, are City Manager Jon Rorie, Councilman Mike King, Mayor Vanessa Fleisch and councilmen Terry Ernst, Kevin Madden and Phil Prebor. Photo/Ben Nelms.
Spillway project Manager Dan Davis, with Integrated Science and Engineering, said work on the spillway is running approximately four weeks behind, even though there are sometimes as many as three crews working simultaneously.
Explaining the problems associated with rain while constructing a spillway, Davis said, “They are in a small work space, a hole, that collects water,”
Davis noted that Peachtree City has received 20.76 inches of rain since Jan. 1.
That said, and weather permitting, Davis said all infrastructure is expected to be complete by early July. At that point the temporary coffer dam can be removed, with the lake ready to be filled in mid-to late July.
It will be in mid-July that the bridge spanning the spillway will be set, Davis said.
With levels also down in Lake Kedron, repair work is being done to to the rusting cross-bracing arms attached to metal piles that are partially encased on concrete. The metal piles provide vertical support to the vehicular and cart path bridges while the cross-bracing provides horizontal support, said city engineer David Borkowski.
Pertaining to the spillway, the City Council in August 2017 approved the $4.387 million low bid by North Georgia Concrete, Inc. for the Lake Peachtree spillway project.
Fayette County will contribute $2 million and SPLOST (special purpose local option sales tax) revenues will make up the remaining amount. Those revenues will repay an anticipated Ga. Environmental Finance Authority loan that comes with a 0.81 percent rate of interest.
