If construction remains on schedule, the Duck River reservoir could be at a point where water could start filling the reservoir by the end of the year.

The reservoir project will create a 640-acre lake with a 32-million-gallon-per-day capacity in northeast Cullman County, which will work in conjunction with the area’s current sole major water source Lake Catoma. The design will be a hybrid, with roller-compacted concrete in the center and earthen wings.

At this point, work on the dam is well underway, and engineers anticipate they could reach a level by October that a phased operation to block off the 10-foot diameter pipe that is currently diverting the Duck River, in favor of smaller, 18-inch pipes aimed to maintain minimum flows during the process.

The concrete ridges being built into the dam are designed to slow the flow of water, to ensure the energy dissipates before the flow is released.

Assuming the weather remains dry, engineer of record CH2M Hill projects they could be ready to start filling the reservoir by the middle of November.

“There’s a lot of difficult work to be done in the next eight weeks, and we’re really hoping for as little rain as possible,” Tom Harwell, with CH2M Hill, said.

Harwell also noted the project remains on budget, though some final changes could potentially push construction above or below projected costs.

The price jumped significantly to approximately $110 million due to a required redesign once some additional geology was uncovered before the start of construction, though officials say the final cost could come in lower than projected thanks to savings in materials and supplies.

Solid numbers on the final cost will likely not be available until January 2016, and officials note some lingering contractor disputes could push into next year. The utilities board is set to enter mediation over some disputed costs soon.

Once the lake does open for use, officials say it will likely be limited to boat motors of 9.9 horsepower or lower, much like Lake Catoma. It could also take several months for the lake to be stocked, a task that is being handled by the state.

Once the dam is complete, the city will shift its attention toward starting work on the pump station and pipeline.

Want more information on the Duck River Dam Project?

Search Duck River Dam for past stories detailing the project’s history.