Gracon Awarded Design-Build Project at Canton Dam

Gracon was awarded the Army Corps of Engineers’ Canton Dam Sluice Gates Replacement project in November 2016. This Design-Build project includes designing and installing four 7’x13’ slide gates and the roller assemblies. The project will last around one year and will involve 6 months of design work before construction can begin. Gracon is partnering with the engineering firm Deere & Ault Consultants out of Boise, Idaho to design the new gates.

As a progressive Design-Build contract, the Corps of Engineers was looking for a contractor to improve the performance of the dam and contribute betterments to the projects. Gracon’s experienced gate team responded with a variety of technical improvements. The gate system design was altered to reduce both overall weight and required maintenance. The new design also ensures that minor problems will not affect the entire system or cause external damage.

Another valuable addition to the project was finding a way to reduce the amount of bird nesting in the dam. Currently, bird nesting is reducing the lifespan of critical equipment and making maintenance work more dangerous. Gracon’s solution was to design the new gates with a downstream steel plate which will prevent birds from accessing the area in the future.

As one of three Corps of Engineers dam gate projects awarded recently in Kansas/Oklahoma, Gracon is demonstrating a commitment to the area and expects to continue the providing high-quality gate rehabilitation and replacement services in the heart of the county.