FlatironDragados, a subsidiary of ACS, together with Sukut Construction, has started the seismic reinforcement works of the Anderson dam, located in Morgan Hill (California, United States), for an amount of 1.9 billion dollars (1.624 billion euros), according to the company.
This contract adds to the actions that FlatironDragados has been developing to increase the safety of dams and hydraulic infrastructures in northern California.
The scope of the work includes the reconstruction of the main body of the dam and its spillway, the installation of new drainage systems, and the execution of improvements in the road network, public services, and the environmental surroundings of the area.
The Anderson reservoir is the largest surface reservoir in Santa Clara County and plays a key role in water supply, groundwater recharge, and additional flood protection for nearly two million people.
Valley Water, the public entity responsible for managing the dam, reduced the water volume of the reservoir to 3% of its capacity in 2020 for seismic safety reasons. The reinforcement works will increase the dam's capacity to withstand a high-intensity earthquake and will allow the recovery of the usual operational levels of the reservoir once the work is completed.
FlatironDragados is also close to finishing the tunnel of the Anderson dam as the main contractor, following the start of the works in 2021. The project has consisted of the construction of a 518-meter-long and 7.3-meter-diameter tunnel that will function as the bottom drainage of the Anderson reservoir. This infrastructure expands Valley Water's capacity to manage reservoir levels and provides an essential element for the seismic rehabilitation of the whole.