Leveraging The CM/GC Project Delivery Approach for Remote High Elevation Dam Rehabilitation Projects In Colorado-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

The presentation describes Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s use of Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) delivery to rehabilitate two remote, high-elevation dams: North Michigan Creek and Alberta Park. Both are high-hazard earthfill dams, and their locations and operating constraints made construction planning especially challenging.<br /><br />CM/GC procurement selected contractors based on technical proposals, interviews, and financial proposals. During preconstruction, the owner, designer, contractor, independent cost estimator, and stakeholders worked as an integrated team on design reviews, cost estimates, value engineering, scheduling, and risk management. The approach aimed to restore dam safety and performance, control costs, reduce future maintenance, and limit impacts on operations, recreation, and wildlife.<br /><br />Shared challenges included long-lead slide-gate equipment, reservoir drawdown constrained by snowmelt, and short construction seasons with winter access limitations. Project-specific issues—such as unsuitable filter sand, inaccurate as-built information, delayed drawdown, and a mismatched outlet-pipe diameter—were addressed collaboratively through material sourcing, pumping, design changes, and coordination with suppliers and regulators. The teams also developed an upstream seepage-reduction concept using a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL).<br /><br />Risk registers identified 36 risks for North Michigan Creek and 43 for Alberta Park; many were mitigated before construction. Despite remaining risks and site challenges, both projects finished below their conceptual project prices, without reducing safety scope or quality. North Michigan Creek’s conceptual price was $6.0 million and final construction price $5.4 million; Alberta Park’s was $7.0 million and $5.6 million, respectively. The presentation credits CM/GC collaboration with accelerated schedules, controlled costs, and avoidance of claim complications.

Keywords

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

CM/GC delivery

dam rehabilitation

high-hazard earthfill dams

North Michigan Creek

Alberta Park

preconstruction collaboration

risk management

construction cost control

geosynthetic clay liner