| Construction


upgrade is the installation of massive baffle blocks measuring 12ft wide and rising 16½ft above the floor of the basin. These structures are armoured with stainless steel to withstand the powerful energy of water discharged through the dam’s crest gates. Don Whitmore, director of the Dam Safety


Production Center and designer of record for the project, highlighted the importance of these elements during a recent visit to the site. “It may not be easy to see once water is flowing as most of the completed work will be underwater – but it is essential,” Whitmore said. “It’s the installation of the drains, steel strand anchors, concrete and 16½ foot tall super cavitating baffle blocks that makes the entire dam optimally function.”


Managing a complex project Delivering the final phase of construction has


required careful coordination between engineers, contractors and government partners, particularly given the confined space around the dam structure. “The complexity of this huge project in such a small space requires the best of us and that’s what we have… a team compiled of the best of the United States Army Corps of Engineers working in partnership with Brayman Construction Corporation and in collaboration with the State of West Virginia,” said Dennis Hughes, chief of the Engineering and Construction Division at the Huntington District. “I’m confident that we are getting the engineering right, getting the construction management right and we’ve got the right team working on this project.” Work continues on the remaining elements of Phase 5, with USACE estimating that the project will be completed in 2030 – five years earlier than originally planned.


Benefits beyond flood protection In addition to improving flood risk management, the


Bluestone Dam project is expected to deliver broader economic and environmental benefits for southern West Virginia. Construction activity has created jobs and provided a boost to the local economy while


also supporting recreational opportunities along the New River. Bluestone Dam serves as the anchor to the region’s well-known “Golden Mile” fishing area at the confluence of the Greenbrier and New Rivers. Reliable releases of oxygenated water from the dam support fish populations and help maintain favourable conditions for anglers. Once construction is complete, public access to fishing areas near both stilling basins will be restored. Improvements are also planned for river access on the left bank downstream of the dam. On the right side, a new pier will be built at the end of the training wall to provide elevated fishing and river observation opportunities that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. These facilities will be opened to the public after construction work is completed.


Looking toward completion For the project team, the completion of the right-side


stilling basin represents both a major achievement and a step toward the final goal of fully upgrading Bluestone Dam.


“As we mark the completion of the right-side stilling basin and reflect on six years of construction up to this point, we recognize that every finished feature of work adds strength and reliability to Bluestone Dam and safety, resilience and peace of mind to those potentially affected along the New and Kanawha River Valleys,” said Josh Miller, Bluestone Dam project manager. “Each milestone brings us closer to an end state of an upgraded Bluestone Dam and a more predictable future.” When complete in 2030, the upgraded dam will


provide safer and more reliable discharge of water downstream, strengthening flood protection for communities across the region and ensuring the continued performance of one of West Virginia’s most important water infrastructure assets.


Reference https://www.dvidshub.net/news/559410/usace- completes-first-half-bluestone-dam-stilling-basin- achieving-major-milestone


www.waterpowermagazine.com | April 2026 | 35


Above: Once complete, improvements to this structure will safeguard the people of West Virginia for many more years. Photo by Anna-Marie Ward, US Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District


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