Folsom Dam spillway: $16.6 million to repair cracking damage
Folsom Dam has some cosmetic cracks in its newer spillway but officials say there is nothing to worry about. The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $16.6 million contract in January for construction on rods within hydraulic cylinders of the Folsom Dam auxiliary spillway gates that control the flow of water and began cracking after the completion of the spillway’s construction in 2017, according to Tyler Stalker, a spokesperson for the corps. Construction will start in 2025, officials said, and is expected to be completed by 2027. The spillway’s construction costs totaled $900 million and includes an 1,100-foot approach channel that funnels water from Folsom Lake into the spillway, according to the corps’ website. Stalker said cracking in coatings that are used to protect steel structures from corrosion is not unusual, and it does not indicate broken or failing system components.