ESTEVAN, ALAMEDA — The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency hopes a couple of ongoing repair projects in southeast Saskatchewan can be completed by the end of this month.
The spillway bridges for Rafferty Dam and Grant Devine Lake are being resurfaced as part of $147 million worth of infrastructure and other investments across the province, according to Patrick Boyle, the executive director for communications and client service with the Water Security Agency.
The spillway bridges will be resurfaced, and the paved approaches will also be lengthened to reduce the amount of gravel being tracked onto the structure, since gravel can cause premature damage to the bridge decks.
Also being tackled are what Boyle called "minor repairs" to the girders and deck joints, and levelling of approach slabs to account for settling since the reservoirs were originally constructed, said Boyle.
"Some other work will help improve safety features at both locations with guardrails," said Boyle.
The bridges were originally paved as part of the construction in 1991, and Boyle said some routine inspection and maintenance identified the travelling surfaces needed some attention.
"It prevents potential damage to the underlying girders, ensuring a safe and continued operation of the structure," said Boyle. "Although it might look like surface work, it's quite important for us to ensure that, because you can't have any part of that structure start to cause issues."
Boyle believes this would be the largest upgrades since the two reservoirs were constructed.
He estimates that the spillway bridges should be completed in late June, but that is dependent on weather. About half of the work is completed.
Boyle said detours are in place and have been communicated to the RMs.
"Some of the detours are longer, as are travel times, but the reservoirs and boat launches can still be accessed using the detours," Boyle said.
Many people use the boat launch for Rafferty Dam by taking an access road from Highway 39 and across the spillway bridge. They can still reach the boat launch through Highway 18.
As for Grant Devine Lake, traffic is being rerouted along Highway 18 to an access point west of Oxbow.
Boyle said they hope the work on Grant Devine Lake can be completed prior to the annual Alameda Fishing Derby on Grant Devine Lake on June 24.
