Shannon & Wilson has assisted PSE at Upper Baker Dam and West Pass Dike to prepare for relicensing of the project through the FERC, in addressing dam safety and maintenance concerns raised during FERC 5-year inspections, and participating in the Potential Failure Mode Analyses (PFMAs) for the project.

We are completing geotechnical explorations, geologic mapping, laboratory testing, and geotechnical design studies to evaluate the stability of the abutments and address Potential Failure Modes (PFMs) related to abutment stability and erosion, and developing plans for seepage mitigation. Key elements include 3-D geologic modeling; hydrogeologic modeling; evaluating abutment stability, internal and external erosion; structural analysis of the arch dam; design of seepage mitigation; and instrumentation and monitoring. The team is also developing an exploration plan to drill seven additional borings in both abutments to better define the complex geologic and hydrogeologic conditions.