Construction Work Near Garrard Landing to Remove Old Water Facility

Date: June 7, 2013
Contact: Tim Bemisderfer, Acting Chief of Planning and Resource Management, 678-538-1321
Contact: Will Helms , 678-244-5634

Work to be Done at Night With Minimal Visitor Impact

Sandy Springs: As DeKalb County continues to remove its old water intake and jetty this summer, visitors at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area will notice some engineering work in the river downstream of Holcomb Bridge.

The intake building and jetty became obsolete when a modern facility was constructed nearby. DeKalb County consulted closely with the National Park Service and others during project planning to insure that the work meets a high environmental standard.

Removal of the below-ground parts of the intake building will not affect river access or navigation, although visitors will see a large crane on site and a coffer dam around the work area beginning on June 17th. The Garrard Landing boat ramp will continue to operate normally.

Work to remove the jetty boulders will be done at night so that Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area visitors will not experience delays navigating the river during the daytime. Slight delays in passage may be experienced after 8:30 p.m. when work is underway. Boaters are reminded that all watercraft are required to be off the river one-half hour after sunset.

Contractors will take the following steps to protect the general public:

1. Public use of the jetty will be prohibited after June 17th. A temporary fence will be installed on the north bank to prevent accidental access to the construction area.
2. Boaters should use caution when navigating through the construction area. Stopping, anchoring, and/or fishing near the construction area are prohibited while the project is underway.
3. Beginning around July 8 from 8:30 p.m. to midnight, flaggers will be posted along the river to control boat traffic through the construction area. A lighting system will be installed to illuminate the construction area while work is underway.
4. Boaters on the river after 8:00 p.m. may be delayed for up to 20 minutes to allow flag men to coordinate safe passage through the work site.
5. A floating erosion control boom will be installed around the jetty to contain floating debris and isolate the construction area from boating traffic.

Jetty boulders will be removed down to the approximate grade of the riverbed; there will be no excavation below the natural riverbed. A small excavator will be lifted onto the jetty via the crane to help remove the jetty stones. The crane will place and retrieve the excavator each night work is to be done. The excavator will not be placed on the jetty when work is not scheduled or when the water depth exceeds 12" above the top of the jetty stones. It is expected that work to remove the jetty will take approximately 4 weeks.

Once the jetty is removed, the riverbank at the old intake site will be restored to its natural slope and stabilized with native plant materials.

Weekend construction activity will be avoided but may become necessary if inclement weather or high river flows significantly delay the construction schedule.

Please contact Will Helms at 678-244-5634 or by email at [e-mail] for more information about the construction schedule and process.

www.nps.gov

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