Post Falls Dam project to be discussed Thursday

POST FALLS - A public informational meeting on Avista Utilities' $13.5 million Post Falls Dam restoration project will be held at Post Falls City Hall from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

The upgrade of the South Channel Dam next to Q'emiln Park on the Spokane River at Post Falls is expected to begin in late March with completion targeted for December. Final road work and landscaping will be completed in spring 2015.

A presentation at the meeting will outline the project details and construction plans. A question-and-answer time in which guests can talk with project experts will be held afterward.

The park, including the boat launch, swim area, trailhead and pavilion, are expected to be open as normal this summer with limited exceptions, Avista officials said.

Dave Fair, Post Falls' parks and recreation director, said parking around the boat launch is the city's biggest concern.

"We have had several meetings (with Avista) over the past few months to try to mitigate the impact to our residents," Fair said. "We know there will be an impact - noise, loss of parking - but to what extent? The biggest issue at the park will be the lack of overflow boat parking this summer. It already was tight and this will make parking more difficult.

"Only the summer will tell what the true impact will be. As a department, we will get through this fine and will address issues as they come up."

Avista officials said that construction methods that will be used were chosen to minimize disruption, while protecting the safety of the public, environment and wildlife.

Avista Utilities last week selected Spokane-based Max J. Kuney Co. as the general contractor to upgrade and restore the 108-year-old South Channel Dam.

In addition to replacing manual equipment, the project includes building a temporary cofferdam to allow for construction, removing the original 1906 concrete gate frames and adding new concrete and spillway gates.

The dam is one of three that comprise Avista's hydroelectric development at Post Falls. The North Channel Dam was upgraded in 2004 and the Middle Channel Dam in 2012.

For more information on the project, visit www.avistautilities.com/postfalls. There, customers and the public can sign up to receive an e-newsletter from Avista with project updates.