PRINEVILLE, Ore. - On March 8 the Bureau of Reclamation will start a drilling program to collect soil samples at Ochoco Dam. Reclamation drill crews will be working near the toe of the dam's downstream face. Soil samples will be collected from the embankment and foundation at ten drill sites to refine existing Ochoco Dam studies for seismic stability.
A temporary access road will be constructed on the downstream slope of the dam in mid-March. Reclamation advises the public to be aware of construction equipment near the dam and to stay clear of the area. The drill crews are expected to continue through the summer.
Ochoco Dam has been part of Reclamation's Crooked River Project since 1956. It stores water for the Ochoco Irrigation District.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
