DeWeese Reservoir Dam built in 1902-1903
1935 Dam additions enlarged the lake for additional water
storage
1999 Dam reconstruction of the top 12 feet
During the reconstruction of the dam, the contractor was
adjusting the 36" headgate by lifting it with the backhoe on the
barge and pulled it completely out of the guides. A plug was
cast that would go in the lower end of the pipe and it was attached
to a trackhoe and inserted into the pipe , kind of like the little
Dutch boy with his finger in the dike. You can see the
trackhoe at the base of the dam, it sat there for six weeks while a
new headgate was cast and installed.
We were fortunate because in the process we discovered there
was a hole in the old gate about the size of a pencil. Had
they not pulled it out and the hole was found at a later date, we
would have had to bring equipment back in to replace the gate.
