In late 2019 Lunda Construction completed the renovation of the Wausau Hydroelectric Dam and Spillway, a $4M rehabilitation to the 1920 WPS facility located on the Wisconsin River.

The scope of work included the installation of a custom designed bulkhead system, concrete surface rehabilitation, installation of new radial tainter gates, side plates, and sill plates, tainter gate seal replacement, and wooden flashboard replacement at the spillway.

The project experienced several weather events that were unusual even for the Midwest. An exceptionally large snowfall during the winter of 2018-2019 resulted in flooding the following spring, requiring a delayed start, due to safety concerns for both the staff and the dam superstructure. Unseasonably cold weather conditions developed in the late fall of 2019 and disrupted operations on several occasions, as crews dealt with large ice shoves and winter conditions. However, Lunda’s familiarity with marine construction allowed for a timely reaction plan to be developed, avoiding potential damage to the dam superstructure and Lunda’s equipment, all while maintaining the safety of the field staff. Even with these unusual weather events, Lunda was able to accelerate portions of the schedule while mitigating cost impacts.