The Right Bank Tailwater Recreation Area at Cordell Hull Dam will be closed the rest of year to stabilize the rock bluff below the dam.
Construction set to take about 90 days barring extenuating circumstances. The closure will start at the end of the Turkey Creek Nature Tail parking lot near the Resource Manager’s Office. Natural Resources Program Manager Kenny Claywell said the project is needed.
“The main reason for the bluff stabilization is because there is scaling rock and also vegetation falling off the bluff,” Claywell said. “Which creates a public safety hazard for visitors using the area as well as employees and contractors accessing the power plant.”
Claywell said that during construction there will be two of three phases workers will have to go through. Phase one consists of removing all of the dangerous vegetation from on and around the bluff. Claywell said next, workers will return and remove the remaining loose material the vegetation attached to and the surrounding soil. Claywell said lastly workers will remove the protruding rock around the bluff.
Impacted park amenities include the restroom closest to the dam, the parking lot overseeing the lock and dam, and all land-based tailwater fishing.
“Anytime you have a construction site you cannot have public access into a construction area,” Claywell said. “There’s heavy equipment up there, there’s gonna be material falling off the bluff being removed.”
Claywell said driving up roadways often causes small gravel and rocks to fall, as well as vegetation if guests look off the side of the road.
“We’re always having the bluff re-evaluated periodically from our geologist,” Claywell said. “They look at it, look at the safety factor and any concerns with the rock there.”
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