Page 10 - Flathead Beacon // 4.2.14

10 | APRIL 2, 2014 NEWS
FLATHEADBEACON.COM

Facts

FIGURES

Numbers in the news

5.1%

Montana’s
unemployment rate in

February, down from
5.3% in January.

5,000
The Flower
Creek Dam near
Libby in Novem-
Roughly the number of ber, 2010. The
jobs added in Montana dam eventually-
will be replaced.
in the irst two months
of the year, according PHOTO COURTESY OF
MORRISON-MAIERLE, INC.
to Labor Commissioner Flower Creek Dam Project Costs Increase
Pam Bucy.

8.3%
Replacing dam now
heading up the project.
of the dam, built in 1946, is critical be-
$172,000 more after The USFWS’ requirement that a bi-
cause the structure is losing strength. In
Flathead County’s ological assessment occur in the area 2010, Morrison-Maierle completed a core
U.S. Fish and Wildlife where the dam will be replaced has been sample text of the arch dam and found that
jobless rate in February, a source of controversy since last year, the concrete strength was less than 1,000
down from 9% a month Service requires when the agency rescinded a 2012 com- pounds per square inch. Normal strength
ment approving the project. Roll and the is between 3,000 and 4,000 pounds per
earlier.
additional biological rest of the council were frustrated by the square inch. A report, issued by the engi-

assessments
oversight and the project was delayed. The neers in September 2011, stated that un-
16.5%
USFWS called the entire episode a “mis- der normal conditions the dam would be
communication.” The assessment was usable for another ive years. However,
By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon
completed last year and it recommended if a seismic event compromised the dam,
Lincoln County’s jobless that the city look into conducting a fea- Flower Creek and the town of Libby could
City oicials in Libby are hoping to re- sibility study to determine if a bull trout be looded. The town has been looking at
rate, the highest in the ceive federal funds this spring and start ish passage should be installed. That cost replacing the old dam for years,
state, with 1,228 unem- replacing the ancient dam that holds the $25,990.
Once funds for the project are ob-

ployed residents.
community’s drinking water. The cost of Earlier this month, Morrison-Maierle tained, the city could lower the reservoir
replacing the Flower Creek Dam is more outlined the additional costs in a docu- level behind the dam, lessening the risk
than $8 million and recently increased by ment provided to the city. Along with the of it breaking. However, Roll said city of-
2.6%
$172,227, in part because the U.S. Fish and ish study, grant administration added icials are hesitant of lowering the water
Wildlife Service required the city com- $58,500 to the project; various permitting level earlier because once it has been low-
plete a biological assessment of the area’s and documentation work cost $23,516; ered, it can’t be illed up again for risk of
North Dakota’s jobless grizzly bear, Canada lynx and bull trout and other fees and labor brought the total weakening the dam more.
rate in February, the
populations.
bill to $172,227.
“Lowering the water level would miti-
lowest in the country.
Mayor Doug Roll and the city council Now that the biological assessment is gate the hazard,” Roll said. “The big thing
were notiied of the increased expense at done, Roll is hopeful that the USDA Rural is getting that funding from USDA Rural
a recent meeting with Morrison-Maierle, Development funding will inally come Development (in the coming months).”
Inc., the Kalispell-based engineering irm
through for the project. The replacement
[email protected]