UNION CITY, MI (WTVB) – Union City Village Manager Chris Mathis says work has officially begun on the Riley Dam project. As scheduled, it took two weeks for Union Lake to be lowered.
The water was lowered about six inches per day until it was one foot above the spillway.
Part of the project calls for an earthen embankment to be cleaned off. It then be dug out and dewatered near the base so that a toe drain can be installed.
The village posted a timeline for the work on its Facebook page.
9/19/18 – 9/25/18 – Cleaning & Grubbing
9/19/18 – 10/19/18 – Dewatering (Toe Drain Area)
9/23/18 – 10/19/18 – Toe Drain Install
9/30/18 – 11/23/18 – Embankment Work
10/28/18 – 11/17/18 – Heavy Riprap & Geotex
11/15/18 – 11/28/18 – Restoration, Seeding, Mulch Blanket
11/28/18 – Substantial Completion
If everything goes according to schedule, the project is expected to take 10 weeks and be done by Thanksgiving.
Mathis says the lake was drained in a same manner back in 2000 for a similar project. Union City has been powered by the Riley Dam since 1922.
The Village of Union City received a $1 million loan from USDA Rural Development which is being used to make repairs to the dam.
