Little Birch Lake Outlet Dam
Background
The Little Birch Lake Outlet Dam was constructed in 1988. This dam sets the elevation for Little Birch Lake but was a barrier to fish passage and in poor structural condition. Rather than pursuing a direct replacement, the Sauk River Watershed District (District), with support from the Little Birch Lake Association, aimed to enhance its ecological functionality while maintaining the lake basin elevation through a modification of the outlet. The District hired HEI to design and construct this project.
The Project
The project began with our team conducting a site visit to document the existing dam’s conditions. We delivered a technical memorandum summarizing the current conditions and recommended alternatives for dam maintenance or conversion to rock arch rapids.
The preliminary design phase involved reviewing and digitizing existing easements for the dam, completing a full topographic survey of the existing dam and outlet channel, and conducting a preliminary hydraulic analysis. We developed preliminary design drawings and provided technical writing assistance for a Conservation Partners Legacy (CPL) grant application. The District obtained $288,005 in grant funding to cover 90% of the preliminary estimate.
During the project development and design phase, we hosted virtual coordination meetings with District staff and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to discuss design specifics. We finalized the hydraulic analysis and documented a FEMA No-Rise. Our team then assembled the 90% design plans, held review meetings with District staff, the DNR, and the Little Birch Lake Association, and modified the plans based on their feedback. We updated the Opinion of Probable Construction Cost and completed the final design drawings and report, which were presented to the District Board for approval.
During the implementation phase, we prepared applications for District, DNR public waters, and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 404 permits. Our team provided bidding support and construction administration services. As part of these services, our team performed construction observation, conducted construction staking, and prepared record drawings post-construction.
Construction of the project was substantially completed in October of 2024.
View a time-lapse video of the project here.
- Grant application assistance, which resulted in a $288,005 grant to fund 90% of the project. However, the total project cost was $214,674, approximately $92,000 below the initial estimate.
- Construction administration services from bid drafting through project completion.
- Permitting assistance and agency coordination with the DNR and USACE.
Project Details
Client: Sauk River Watershed District
Location: Stearns County, Minnesota
Project Highlights
- Grant application assistance, which resulted in a $288,005 grant to fund 90% of the project. However, the total project cost was $214,674, approximately $92,000 below the initial estimate.
- Construction administration services from bid drafting through project completion.
- Permitting assistance and agency coordination with the DNR and USACE.
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