Raising road will help to re-route water
Norman Roelfs, engineer with NLR & GB, Wichita, was given the green light to work on plans and seek state approval for a plan to raise Lakeshore Drive where it crosses the dam at Marion County Lake.
Marion County commissioners made the decision after looking at the site for about an hour Monday. The roadway is to be raised only at the north and south ends of the dam structure.
The planned work will keep the water from "toeing in" and washing out the end of the dam, Roelfs said. It will channel water around the dam and force it to the south, through the spillway, he said.
Work at the north end of the road segment that crosses the dam is of a maintenance nature and can be done now, commissioners and Roelfs agreed.
Commissioner Leroy Wetta said that end will require only a fill job to raise the roadway a little bit. The fill will be done with cold-mix asphalt, commissioners said.
The actual elevation of the road above sea level will be raised about 2 1/2 feet.
A dirt berm or dike also is to be constructed just west of the stone and concrete posts on the west side of this segment of the road, extending from the south end of the dam only to the third post from the south. The berm will require 70 cubic yards of earth, Roelfs said. It also will extend to the west for some distance.
The berm will level off at the same level as the new road. It will rise to about 18 inches from the bottom of the third stone post from the south.
The work is expected to bring the dam into line with state free-board requirements.
