Reservoir Cleanout

silt and gravel buildup

reservoir prior to cleanout

sandbar that had built up

bottom of reservoir with gates open

look at the sand/gravel bar without the water

excavator working

The reservoir had filled up with silt and debris after about 6 months from when the gates were closed and the hydro plant was up and operational.  You really couldn't swim in it anymore due to all the gravel and that gravel and dirt was also making it's way down in to the hydro plant which wasn't good.  Our guys have tried various ways to try and clean out the reservoir, most recently, we used an excavator.  The gates were opened and the water ran through, allowing the excavator access to all the gravel and silt that had built up.  The excavator didn't clean it all out, but was able to do some of it, eliminated the full gravel bar in the reservoir, making it possible to swim again - yippee.

reservoir after excavator finished working