More Dam Pictures

The deconstruction of the dam began today. I was told the day before that this stage wasn't supposed to take place for a couple weeks. I showed up to the refuge to pick up my special use permit so I would be official in documenting the repair work, but when I drove in I saw them going at the top of the dam with the yellow monster. It was raining as well. I'll probably be making 2 - 3 trips out there a week to keep up.

Here they're taking the top cap of river rock and cement (decorative) from the dam. It's supposed to be preserved as much as possible and replaced once the work is done. The work was done in the 1930s by Civilian Conservation Corps workers. The pillars have simple "pebble artwork" on the tops, which I documented on a previous day.

They'll be removing the front facing of the lava rock, creating a breach over the next two weeks. The intent is to replace a damaged flow-through pipe that provides irrigation water to a canal on the other side.