Dive exam scheduled for Fresno Dam

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will conduct a dive exam of the outlet works intake and stilling basin at Fresno Dam, 15 miles west of Havre, Oct. 17.

The outlet works will be closed starting at 9 a.m. and will remain closed until the dive exam is complete, but will not exceed eight hours.

Access to the Fresno Dam Tailwater Fishing Access Site will be restricted during the shutdown to just the fishing pier area. Recreators and Municipalities should expect reduced flows in the river during the shutdown.

“Ensuring our facilities operate as they were designed is important to Reclamation,” said Ryan Newman, area manager for Reclamation’s Montana Area Office. “It helps ensure the safety of our facilities and the general public, including all the downstream facilities, recreationalists and residents.”

The dive exam consists of checking the intake structure in the reservoir to ensure no significant blockages are occurring on the trashracks and to check the concrete floor and energy dissipation blocks of the stilling basin area for damage. These exams occur once every eight years.

Fresno Dam construction was completed in 1939 as an irrigation storage facility under the greater Milk River Project. In addition to providing irrigation water to the Milk River Project, Fresno Dam provides incidental benefits for flood control and recreation.