Retrofit still underway

Tiffany Tuell

(Updated: Thursday, March 04, 2010, 12:00 AM)

Since Pacific Gas and Electric Company's plans were announced for the Crane Valley seismic retrofit project at Bass Lake a year ago, it appears not much has changed other than the level of the lake. According to Nicole Liebelt, PG&E spokeswoman, the process is still underway.

"We are continuing to work through permitting and the regulatory process," Liebelt said. "We have to ensure we have all permits and regulatory requirements before we move forward to make sure all environmental protection measures are in place."

It is currently unknown when the permitting and regulatory process will be finished. According to Dave Martin, Bass Lake District Ranger, retrofit efforts should begin in September.

In 2002, the Division of Safety of Dams notified PG&E that the 100-year-old Crane Valley Dam at Bass Lake -- built between 1902 and 1911 -- needed modifications in case of an earthquake because it no longer met seismic requirements. It was reported that if a localized 6.2 earthquake or an 8.0 San Andreas fault earthquake occurred, the dam could break, resulting in downstream flooding.

The retrofit is schedule to by completed in 2012 and will include, according to the Crane Valley Dam Seismic Retrofit Web site, three improvements to the dam.

Installation of rockfill buttresses on the sections of the dam that have hydraulic fill on both the upstream and downstream sides of the concrete core wall.

Tying back the top of the concrete core wall in the section of the dam where the downstream shell consists of a massive rockfill embankment.

Raising and re-grading the crest to elevation 3,387, 7 feet above present minimum crest elevation.

In the meantime, the lake will remain at the 10-foot reduction throughout the duration of the project, Liebelt said, because it is the optimum level for work.

"It won't have a different effect from last year," she said.

Many were concerned last year that the effects of a lower lake would hurt Bass Lake tourism but it appears to have had little or no effect.

"I don't really think it had that great of impact because rather than everyone saying water's down, the emphasis was that more beaches were available," Cunningsaid. "The Pines Resort, Forks Resort and, Miller's Landing Resort and other area hotels were trying to take a positive approach over the negative. I passed by it every day and activity seemed high and camping seemed full."