Williamson County Dam Rehab Project Named 'Project Of The Year'

Williamson County, TX — The design and construction of Dam 7 rehabilitation has been named Project of the Year in the structures category by the Texas Chapter of the American Public Works Association at a recent conference.

The award was presented to the Upper Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District (WCID) at a banquet on June 28 during the Chapter’s annual conference in Fort Worth. Freese and Nichols designed the project, and ASI Constructors was the contractor.

Dam 7 is located on Brushy Creek on the boundary between Austin and Cedar Park in Williamson County. The $18 million project included modernizing the dam, or bringing it into compliance with current state dam safety regulations, county officials said. The project required an innovative design to increase the auxiliary spillway capacity while accommodating the Regional Trail which crosses the dam, officials noted.

"The striking labyrinth weir design provided a practical solution by significantly increasing the spillway capacity within the existing dam footprint," officials described. "The district partnered with Williamson County to replace and upgrade the Brushy Creek Regional Trail across the dam as part of the project. The new trail across the dam is wider and includes an entry plaza and spillway overlook."

The trail was reopened to the public at a ribbon-cutting event on April 18. The district also partnered with Austin Water to relocate an existing wastewater line around the spillway. The City of Cedar Park supported the project and granted a construction easement for the dam and trail improvements.

"Recognition by APWA for Dam 7 is particularly gratifying,” Mike Freeman, Upper Brushy Creek WCID board president, said in a prepared statement. “This group includes the people who plan, develop and maintain our public infrastructure. They understand the value of innovative design and professionally managed construction, and they understand safety.”

Randy Bell, Williamson County’s senior director of the Parks Department, said he was gratified at the project's completion: “Williamson County is pleased to have been a part of this great project. Not only are the dam and trail safer for our residents, but the new landscaping and spillway design with the fossil stamps enhance the natural beauty of the trail."

About the Upper Brushy Creek WCID (provided text):

The District is responsible for the operation and maintenance of 23 flood control dams within the Upper Brushy Creek watershed in the Brazos River Basin in Williamson County, Texas. The 23 earthen dams were built by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service in the 1960s on what was then agricultural land. After considerable downstream development due to area growth, the dams became critical infrastructure for public safety and were considered “high hazard,” meaning failure could lead to significant loss of life or property. This reclassification imposed higher safety standards, and all the District’s dams required rehabilitation to meet the State’s criteria. Over the past 15 years, the District has successfully modernized 20 of its 23 flood control dams, and the remaining three structures will be upgraded within the next three-to-five years. For more information, visit upperbrushycreekwcid.org.

About the Brushy Creek Regional Trail (provided text):

Williamson County’s 6.75-mile-long Brushy Creek Regional Trail winds along Brushy Creek from east of Great Oaks Drive west to US 183 in Cedar Park and has extensive landscaping and scenic views. The parks that lie along the trail provide many different amenities accessible to walkers, runners and bikers including splash pads, swimming areas, fishing docks, canoeing and kayaking, restrooms and multiple picnic and pavilion areas. For more information, go to www.wilco.org/parks. About Freese and Nichols: Freese and Nichols is a client-focused, regionally based firm with nationally recognized expertise. Freese and Nichols provides a broad range of services to plan, design and manage public infrastructure projects. For more information, visit freese.com.

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>>> Photos of Dam 7 courtesy of Williamson County