August 3, 2012 - Leon County, FL

Leon County hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning to celebrate the completion of the Lake Munson Dam Rehabilitation Project.

The ribbon cutting, which was held at Lake Munson dam at the end of La France Road, was attended by Leon County officials, representatives of the Forest Edge Neighborhood Association and project team members who helped in the rehabilitation of the dam.

The dam’s rehabilitation project started approximately one year ago and ended recently. It was initiated to update the dam’s failing equipment. The upgrades were key to modernize the dam for future effectiveness and safety during maintenance.

“I’m pleased to say that we have made several improvements critical to maintaining the health of Lake Munson, which is very important to me and this community,” said Leon County District 2 Commissioner Jane G. Sauls.

A feasibility study identified all of the corrective measures needed for the dam. The dam’s older gates, which controlled the flow of water, were updated with thick, cast iron sliding gates – made of a material similar to that of man-hole covers that better resist corrosion. Geo-technical work was done to analyze the sandy-lake bottom below the dam to ensure the ground below the structure was sound. Additionally, a safer way for County employees to maintain the dam was erected. Previously, the dam’s walkway consisted of large, immovable timbers. Today, an OSHA-compliant, aluminum walkway spans the 170-foot-long structure, which helps County employees better manage the dam.

“This project helps us support our precious natural resources, which aligns with the Board of County Commissioners’ strategic priority to be responsible stewards of Leon County’s environment,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long.

The feasibility study also highlighted the importance of keeping the dam at its current location. One option that was evaluated included constructing a new dam near the current site.

Instead, the study notes keeping the dam at its current location, at the end of La France Road and updating the gates with more modern equipment would be more cost effective.

“Just one look at the before and after photos of Lake Munson’s dam illustrate the work that has gone into providing upgrades for this structure, which has been a part of our community since the 1960s,” said Board of County Commission Chairman Akin Akinyemi.

For more information, contact Tony Park, P.E., Director of Leon County Public Works and Community Development, at (850) 606-1500 / ParkT@LeonCountyFL.gov or Jon D. Brown, Director of Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov .

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[UPDATE] Leon County, Florida- August 2, 2012- 7:30 pm

Decades of wear and tear on a dam on the south end of Leon County has plagued residents living nearby for years.

County commissioners say relief is finally here--in the form of a rehabilitated structure.

Drainage from probably two-thirds of the City of Tallahassee comes down to this point at the dam, eventually draining to the southside of Leon County. The Lake Munson dam creates the 255-acre lake. The county upgraded the dam to better control the lake level and improve safety.

County Commissioners held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to celebrate upgrades to the dam which was built back in 1968.

Says Leon County Public Works Director, Tony Park: "We had to rehabilitate this dam because the gate control structure had began to corrode and leak. We were losing our ability to maintain the lake level."

Instead of four gates, it now has two slide gates made of thick cast iron, similar to that of manhole covers, to better resist corrosion.

Another concern was the potential for water to pass under the dam through the sandy lake bottom. That has now been protected with a cutoff wall and concrete-approach slab.

District 2 Leon County Commissioner Jane Sauls believes: "It helps to clean up the water in Lake Munson. It controls the water flow. Lake Munson is a beautiful lake. Anything that we can do to improve it or to help it, that's what we want to do."

Before, the dam's walkway was made up of large, immovable timbers. To make it safer and more efficient for county employees to maintain the dam, today, a federally-compliant, aluminum walkway spans the 170-foot-long structure.
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Leon County, Florida- August 2, 2012- 5:45 pm

Leon County hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning to
celebrate the completion of the Lake Munson Dam Rehabilitation Project.

The ribbon cutting, which was held at Lake Munson dam at the end of LaFrance Road, was attended by Leon County officials, representatives of the Forest Edge Neighborhood Association and project team members who helped in the rehabilitation of the dam.

The dam’s rehabilitation project started approximately one year ago
and ended recently. It was initiated to update the dam’s failing
equipment. The upgrades were key to modernize the dam for future
effectiveness and safety during maintenance.

“I’m pleased to say that we have made several improvements critical
to maintaining the health of Lake Munson, which is very important to me and this community,” said Leon County District 2 Commissioner Jane G.Sauls.

A feasibility study identified all of the corrective measures needed
for the dam. The dam’s older gates, which controlled the flow of
water, were updated with thick, cast iron sliding gates – made of a
material similar to that of man-hole covers that better resist
corrosion. Geo-technical work was done to analyze the sandy-lake bottom below the dam to ensure the ground below the structure was sound.

Additionally, a safer way for County employees to maintain the dam was erected. Previously, the dam’s walkway consisted of large, immovable timbers. Today, an OSHA-compliant, aluminum walkway spans the 170-foot-long structure, which helps County employees better manage the dam.

“This project helps us support our precious natural resources, which
aligns with the Board of County Commissioners’ strategic priority to
be responsible stewards of Leon County’s environment,” said Leon
County Administrator Vincent S. Long.

The feasibility study also highlighted the importance of keeping the
dam at its current location. One option that was evaluated included
constructing a new dam near the current site.

Instead, the study notes keeping the dam at its current location, at
the end of La France Road and updating the gates with more modern
equipment would be more cost effective.

“Just one look at the before and after photos of Lake Munson’s dam
illustrate the work that has gone into providing upgrades for this
structure, which has been a part of our community since the 1960s,”
said Board of County Commission Chairman Akin Akinyemi.

For more information, contact Tony Park, P.E., Director of Leon County
Public Works and Community Development, at (850) 606-1500 /
ParkT@LeonCountyFL.gov or Jon D. Brown, Director of Leon County
Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov
.

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