Lake Whitney Dam Project

Watch this video for the latest update on the Lake Whitney Dam Revitalization Project.

After over 160 years of service, it is time for the Lake Whitney Dam to be upgraded to meet future generations’ needs. Lake Whitney Dam was completed in 1861 and was constructed with stone, rubble, mortar, concrete, and sand. While regular maintenance has been performed, the dam’s structural aspects have remained largely unchanged since it was completed in 1861. To ensure the dam can meet the needs of the community for years to come, the Regional Water Authority has identified four significant areas of need:

1. Enhance the stability of the dam.

2. Increase the spillway capacity.

3. Control water seepage, which is common with all dams as the stored water seeks paths of least resistance through their foundations.

4. Upgrade the rainfall capacity of the dam to safely handle 34 inches of rain over three days due to climate change and more intense storms.

The RWA has performed many engineering studies on the Whitney Dam and is examining over 30 possible rehabilitation approaches to identify the best design to accomplish the needed upgrades. RWA considers the community at large, the environment, water treatment and water quality, historic preservation, project safety, and finances when assessing the best approach to perform the upgrades.

At the Regional Water Authority, we understand the importance of protecting our natural resources to ensure our future generations have high-quality water. We are looking forward to working with the community to make the necessary improvements to the Lake Whitney Dam. 

Please email whitneydam@rwater.com to be added to our project update list.

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