Freese and Nichols Helps Relocate Fish at Toledo Bend Dam Spillway
Freese and Nichols team members donned waders and gloves, in July, to go above and beyond what was contractually required of them to provide a helping hand to our client, Sabine River Authority of Texas and Sabine River Authority State of Louisiana, in safely relocating endangered fish (American paddlefish and freshwater eels) during contstruction.
The Toledo Bend Dam spillway apron was severely damaged during historically high releases in March 2016. Freese and Nichols was contracted to design the repairs and is currently the construction manager for the project. Various precipitation events have delayed construction and have caused the spillway gates to be operated numerous times over the duration of the project.
The endangered fish species were identified within the stilling basin, which needs to be dewatered during construction. In coordination with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fishereies (LDWF), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other various environmental entities, our clients needed assistance to safely relocate fish from the spillway stilling basin and release them further downstream — so our employees answered the call.
