Rocky Reach Buoy Replacement

This project involved the removal and disposal of an existing tailrace buoy, its mooring system, and anchor, along with the placement of five district-provided buoy systems to improve dam safety for Chelan County PUD. Work at Rocky Reach Dam was originally planned to be performed using a barge; however, after considerable planning, IMCO’s team developed a more efficient solution that minimized impacts to surrounding dams by utilizing a helicopter instead. This approach allowed the team to complete the buoy replacement in just 53 minutes, compared to the weeks of setup and teardown that a barge would have required. 

IMCO’s innovative installation method required close coordination and collaboration with three surrounding dams to temporarily reduce river flow on the morning of the operation, ensuring safe conditions for helicopter use during removal and placement of the new buoy systems.