News.bytes Extra, issue 299
Summer project: Dumont water crossing
Ever wonder who would go out to Dumont Dunes in the middle of August, during the day when temperatures are well over 100 degrees? Its not the duners: they ride at night during the summer because of the heat! Its BLM’s operation crew! Because of their hard work, visitors to Dumont Dunes will be able to enter the dunes through a newly-expanded water crossing.
The existing water crossing was one lane. The summer project by BLM's Barstow Field Office expanded it to three lanes this Summer. This will allow a vehicle to be driven in both directions across the water at the same time. Before this expansion, only one vehicle could cross at a time and vehicles had to wait until traffic was clear in the opposite direction. The third lane is not currently in use, but was installed for future use. Expanding the road up to the crossing would be necessary prior to using the third water crossing lane. It is anticipated that in the future it will allow two lanes in the direction of most travel during peak times -- that is, two lanes "in" on Fridays and two lanes "out" on Sundays.
This project was planned and completed with BLM operations employees Mike Trost, Emilio Villegas, Vicki Salazar, Danny Pando, and Harold Thomas. The operations crew had assistance on the day the cement was poured by park rangers John Kavanaugh and Steve Hentges, natural resource specialist Lorenzo Encinas, and geoloist Jamie Livingood.
The project was completed way under budget.
Material costs were:
Forming Materials and Supplies - $1,430
Reinforcing steel - $2,200
Concrete 160 CYs 4,500 PSI $29,600
Backhoe & Operator X2 Days $2,000
Cement Pumper $1,585
Cement Finishing Crew $2,000
Travel $1,800
Labor / BLM funding $9,792
Labor / fee funding $3,392Total $53,799
To start the project, the existing water crossing was dug out, holes were drilled into the existing crossing, and rebar was placed in the holes. This allows the new crossing to be attached to the existing crossing.
Footings for the new water crossing were dug
Metal had to be laid and tied
Beginning work in the dark using the vehicle headlights to see, the crew was on site for the pouring of the concrete at 5 am. 160 cubic yards of concrete were poured that day!
The concrete was worked into the footings first, and then the pads were poured
The completed project: a water crossing to meet our current needs, and with space for future growth.
We are proud of the work our operations crew has shown on this project!
- Lynnette Elser, BLM Barstow Field Office
BLM California News.bytes, issue 299
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