Spillway Improvement Project Summary

The City of Lake Quivira completed the Spillway Improvement Project in May 2024, led by Olsson Engineering, general contractor, Pyramid Contracting and a team of current and former city officials.  The Project was a long time in coming after years of discussion, engineering, repairs and requirements directed by the State.  

The West spillway was built before 1940 – nearly 100 years old.  Time had taken its toll on the downstream (north) side of the spillway with major root intrusion, cement slab uplifting and general leaking, thus necessitating full removal and replacement of the infrastructure.   The weir on the lake (south) side has undergone considerable repair over the years including sluice gate replacement in the ‘90s and pressure grouting in the 2000’s.   Testing and consulting with the engineering team concluded minor repairs to the south structure would extend the useful life by an additional 20-25 years.    

Olsson Engineering designed the replacement primary spillway with the following features:

• Reinforced concrete channel - 350 feet long with a height of 15 feet at the bridge end decreasing to 6 feet at the spillway outlet.   The new channel is 26 feet wide and designed to handle considerably more flow than the prior channel.   The base of the channel is designed with a 4-degree slope from side to side to concentrate small water flows into the center of the channel.
• Bridge repair - Extensive repair of existing bridge structure and replacement of deteriorated stonework.  Cut concrete caps were installed to match the existing caps on the retaining wall of the dam and minor repairs and tuck pointing performed on the existing dam wall.  Bridge girders were cleaned and painted to protect and extend their useful life.
• Fencing – Five-foot iron fencing installed on top of both the east and west side channel walls for safety.  Additionally, the fencing creates a clean visual line that matches iron gate and fencing on the south side.
• Stone hardscaping – a new ground level retaining wall constructed on each side of the west entry gate.  The north wall is faced on both sides with natural limestone and capped to match the existing dam retaining wall.  In addition, drainage improvements were installed in the area outside the west gate including a concrete slope protection layer between the wall and spillway.
• Southside Spillway Wall – Concrete stone protection added to the shelf at the base of the stone wall and much needed tuckpointing and stone replacement of the wall.
• Landscape – trees, shrubs and plants added on the west side of the spillway from the west gate down Renner Road.
• Land Reclamation – debris from the project improved the usable land space in the Quivira, Inc. maintenance yard.  The City benefitted from reduced hauling and disposal costs and Q, Inc. benefitted from an enlarged and leveled yard with additional space for boat storage.
• Utility Relocation – for safety and aesthetic purposes, a utility pole at the northwest corner of the dam was relocated outside the gate.  Additional poles were added along the west side of Renner Road to provide an improved visual aesthetic.

Timeline

• July 2023 — Design engineering approved by City Council
• July 2023 — Plans submitted to State of Kansas for approval
• August 2023 — Contractor bidding
• September 2023 — State approves reconstruction plans
• September 2023 — Project awarded to Pyramid Contractors
• October 2023 — Lake lowered
• October 2023 — Project commences, utility relocates begin
• Winter 2024 — Project proceeds smoothly due to mild winter
• April 2024 — Dedication Ceremony

Project Financing

The total cost of the project, including additional repairs, engineering, and financing is $3.0 million. Approximately $.6 million has been funded through the city operating budgets over several years leading up to commencement of the project.  The balance of $2.4 million will be financed through the issuance of tax-exempt municipal bonds beginning in 2026.

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