In the northern region of Michigan, Boyne Mountain Resort, a subsidiary of Boyne USA, has been in ownership and operation of a Hydroelectric Dam on the Boyne River since the 1980s. The project aims to provide clean power and aligns with the resort's commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
The project is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). J. E. Tiffany & Associates, with a longstanding and trusted collaboration with Boyne Mountain Resort, was approached in 2017 to assist in the application for a subsequent license for their hydroelectric project. During the comprehensive engineering analyses required for this process, two significant dam safety concerns were identified. Subsequent projects were initiated to address these concerns, including the reconstruction of riverbanks
downstream of the dam in late 2022 and significant improvements to the main embankment in 2023 to enhance stability.
Client Profile: Boyne Resorts
As a crucial economic and recreational hub in Northern Michigan, Boyne Resorts relies on the Boyne River Hydroelectric dam to support its sustainable energy goals. In alignment with their role as a leading recreation provider and their commitment to environmental stewardship, the resort has made substantial investments in dam safety. The decades-long trust relationship
with J. E. Tiffany & Associates played a pivotal role in selecting them to engineer these critical tasks.
The primary objective of the second dam safety project, completed in 2023, involved major improvements to the main embankment in order to achieve compliance with the FERC’s embankment stability guidelines.
Upstream Slope Improvements in Progress
The client's goals were:
1. Safety and Environmental Compliance: J. E. Tiffany & Associates were tasked with ensuring that the project met important embankment slope stability requirements.
2. Cost Efficiency: Aligning with Boyne Mountain's budget considerations required a solution that was financially feasible without compromising quality or safety.
The Journey
This second phase project addressed the main 500-foot-long embankment, south of the spillway. Our design for the upstream side included regrading and placing 18-inches of riprap over filter fabric. On the downstream slope, our design included replacement of mucky soils at the downstream toe of the
embankment and adding 4,000 cubic yards of fill to significantly flatten the downstream slope. To accommodate the added fill, the auxiliary spillway was extended 24 feet with a 42-inch diameter reinforced concrete pipe. Completed in the Fall of 2023, these measures successfully addressed dam safety concerns and enhanced the embankment's stability.
Upstream Slope Improvement Progress
Outcome
Completed in the fall of 2023, this project concluded the major dam safety enhancements resulting from the rigorous engineering analyses conducted during the license application process.
Upstream Slope Completed
Downstream Slope Fill in Progress
Auxiliary Spillway Extension Pipe
Downstream Slope Nearing Completion
Downstream Slope Nearing Completion
Downstream Slope Meeting Stability Requirements