City of Wilmington, DE

O’Brien & Gere has performed the preliminary design of dam safety improvements for Hoopes Dam, a 120-foot high concrete gravity dam owned by the City of Wilmington, DE. These improvements include modification of the existing spillway into a stepped configuration for energy dissipation, installation of a reinforced concrete stilling basin, replacement of gates and modification of the blowoff system in the outlet structure, and placement of post-tensioned anchors for increased stability. The preliminary design also includes features for future expansion of the reservoir, such as a bascule gate system for a proposed 5-foot increase in normal pool reservoir level and additional post-tensioned anchoring to accommodate the increased hydrostatic loads. The project is currently undergoing an additional phase of concrete sampling and testing to refine the anchoring requirements before proceeding with the final design stage. 



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