North Georgia Concrete Inc. is transforming a decades-old flood control dam into a modern reservoir designed to improve water supply, reduce flood risks and support continued growth in Dawson County, Ga.
The contractor is leading construction of the $100 million Russell Creek Reservoir Multipurpose Project for the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. The project broke ground May 5, 2025, and is scheduled for substantial completion in December 2027, followed by approximately one year to fill the reservoir.
The work involves replacing a 1957 earthen dam that no longer meets modern safety standards with a new structure designed to comply with current federal requirements. The reservoir will expand from 11 acres to 137 acres and will store approximately 1.37 billion gal. of water. That added capacity will allow water to be captured from the Etowah River during periods of high flow and released during drought conditions.
More than 23,000 residents are expected to benefit from the project, which also is designed to reduce flood damages by more than $2 million while improving river flow conditions during dry periods. According to the USDA, the existing dam does not have sufficient storage capacity to meet the needs of a growing population, particularly in rural and agricultural areas.
Planning for the project began in 2005, with NRCS leading watershed studies and development efforts. Funding is being provided through the agency's Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program. Over time, downstream development increased the hazard classification of the existing dam, making replacement necessary to protect both lives and property.
Brooke Anderson, general manager of the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority, said coordination among federal, state and local stakeholders has been essential to advancing the project. He noted that water infrastructure plays a fundamental role in community development.
"Building a reservoir for our future is a big deal and takes time, commitment and transparency from all stakeholders," Anderson told Construction Equipment Guide. "Water sets up everything else. Without it, nothing else can happen."
The project team includes engineers, environmental specialists and regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency and Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Balancing engineering requirements with environmental protection has been a central challenge throughout design and construction, particularly because the project must protect several endangered species and sensitive habitats.
The new dam will stand approximately 110 ft. high, more than doubling the height of the existing structure. It is designed to withstand a 500-year storm event and provide a service life exceeding 100 years. The project also includes construction of a principal spillway with a 110-ft. inlet structure, a 700-ft. pipeline and an auxiliary spillway to safely convey excess water around the embankment. Public amenities, including a fishing pier, boat ramp and access road, will be added once construction is complete.
Design work was performed by WSP and Wiedeman and Singleton, which developed detailed plans for the complex system of structural and hydraulic components.
Construction began with extensive site preparation that included clearing vegetation, removing the existing dam and preparing the foundation for the new embankment. Crews blasted a 350-ft. tunnel through the northwest abutment to support the new spillway system. Additional work included installing sand drains beneath the future dam and constructing a grout curtain to strengthen the rock foundation and reduce seepage.
Tree clearing across the reservoir basin and surrounding work area was completed between October 2024 and April 2025. Much of the material generated during demolition and clearing was reused. Reinforcing steel from the original structure was salvaged, earthen material from the dam was incorporated into new construction and timber was repurposed where possible.
Craig Weatherly, vice president of North Georgia Concrete, said strong collaboration among the contractor, design team and owner has played a key role in keeping the project on schedule.
"We created a team atmosphere early by integrating contractor staff with engineers and the owner," Weatherly told Construction Equipment Guide. "Clear communication and focus on critical tasks help keep construction moving despite daily challenges."
Land clearing operations relied on Tigercat equipment, including skidders, excavators fitted with grapples and attachments, feller bunchers and chippers operating across the roughly 190-acre site.
With site preparation complete, crews turned their attention to the large-scale earthmoving effort required to build the new embankment. The dam design calls for three distinct classifications of soil, each placed in specific zones to meet engineering requirements.
Class A material forms the impermeable clay core and consists primarily of red clay with minimal rock or silt content. Class B material is placed on the upstream side and contains more silt and smaller rock. Class C material, which makes up most of the embankment, contains a higher proportion of rock and silt and less clay.
All materials are being sourced from on-site borrow pits rather than imported, which helps reduce costs and improve efficiency. Temporary haul roads constructed across the site allow trucks and equipment to move safely between excavation areas and placement zones.
Approximately 25 pieces of heavy equipment are in operation on the project, including Komatsu excavators ranging from PC360LC to PC490LC models. These machines load articulated haul trucks capable of transporting about 40 tons per load. On productive days, trucks can complete up to 40 loads.
Supporting equipment includes dozers, compactors and machines from SANY and Caterpillar used for specialized tasks. Weather conditions play a significant role in productivity, affecting haul routes and soil moisture levels needed for proper compaction.
Jacob Garrison, the contractor's assistant project manager, said crews must remain flexible to address changing conditions.
"A constantly changing scope of work and heavy weather have been our biggest challenges," Garrison told Construction Equipment Guide. "We also have significant groundwater, but we are managing and continuing to make progress."
To date, crews have excavated approximately 190,000 cu. yds. of material, including unsuitable soils, while placing about 160,000 cu. yds. into the embankment. Roughly 1,000 cu. yds. of rock has been removed as part of foundation preparation.
Work on the project's principal spillway has become a major focus. Crews completed the tunnel through the abutment and are finishing the intake and outlet structures that will allow water to be diverted through the system. Diverting flow through the spillway will allow embankment construction to accelerate.
The reinforced concrete outlet structure required 4,500-psi concrete and dense reinforcing steel placement. The riser structure is being constructed using similar materials and methods. Concrete pours are typically performed in the morning to ensure quality, and the material is designed to achieve full strength within 28 days.
The spillway system includes a 700-ft. steel pipe lined with cement to improve durability. Individual pipe sections were welded together in the field and relined to create a continuous interior surface. A separate ductile iron pipeline was installed using gasketed joints to ensure watertight connections.
Foundation construction required drilling and installing micropiles beneath the outlet and riser structures to transfer loads into stable rock. These piles extend about 45 ft. beneath the riser structure and about 10 ft. beneath the outlet. Drilling through fractured rock created challenges, particularly under the riser structure, where additional quality control measures were needed.
Crews also encountered difficulties installing tall reinforcing steel cages for the outlet structure due to design limitations, requiring additional bracing during formwork installation.
A KOBELCO crawler crane has been used to lift heavy materials, including reinforcing steel, structural components and concrete forms, while excavators and loaders handle site preparation and material movement.
Construction of the auxiliary spillway also is under way. This 780-ft. channel is designed to carry overflow water safely around the embankment. Because it lies within an active borrow area, crews are excavating materials while simultaneously shaping the channel.
The spillway transitions from a nearly flat grade to a steeper downstream slope. Work has also begun on the outflow channel, which will be lined with articulated concrete block armor designed to prevent erosion. These interlocking precast blocks will be installed individually and secured with cables.
Groundwater has complicated excavation in the outflow channel, requiring additional planning to prevent erosion and maintain stability.
Daily operations typically involve 20 to 30 personnel from North Georgia Concrete and its subcontractors. Key subcontractors include North Georgia Pipeline for earthwork and drainage, Bradshaw for tunnel construction, Goettle for the grout curtain, Burkes Mechanical for pipeline installation and Russo for micropile construction.
Project managers emphasize the importance of daily coordination. Crews meet each morning to review tasks, discuss safety and plan upcoming work activities. This level of communication allows the team to adjust quickly to changing conditions.
The project has required substantial materials, including more than 250,000 lbs. of reinforcing steel and approximately 1,150 cu. yds. of concrete placed in permanent structures. Equipment reliability is critical due to the heavy production schedule.
North Georgia Concrete relies on in-house technicians who perform regular maintenance and repairs rather than keeping full-time mechanics onsite. Rental equipment from multiple suppliers supplements the company's fleet, ensuring that additional machines can be mobilized quickly when needed.
Despite challenges caused by weather and groundwater, the project remains on schedule. Crews are preparing to transition into full-scale embankment construction as spillway work advances.
As construction progresses, activity is expected to increase across the site. Final phases will include completion of the dam, auxiliary spillway and public access features before the reservoir begins filling.
Once complete, the Russell Creek Reservoir will replace aging infrastructure with a modern system designed to provide reliable water supply, improved flood protection and environmental benefits. The project is expected to support continued growth in Dawson County while enhancing long-term resilience for the region. CEG
