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Geer Dam Removal

 

DuBois & King designed a partial removal of the Geer Dam, a former hydroelectric, run-of-the-river dam on the Ompompanoosuc River. The combination concrete gravity and buttress dam was constructed by a private individual in the early 1980s (designed by DuBois & King). The dam has been identified as an obstruction to aquatic organism passage (AOP) and a source of local fluvial geomorphic instabilities evidenced by downstream channel incision and bank instability.

Removing a portion of the dam restored AOP and improved geomorphology. The D&K team performed a structural evaluation, developed a hydraulic model, and determined geomorphic compatibility to identify the effects of partial removal of the dam on the stream and the remaining section of the dam. Services also included a topographic survey of the dam and river reaches up- and downstream, wetland delineation, AOP evaluation, preliminary through final design, and construction observation.

Norwich Reservoir Dam Removal

 

The Norwich Reservoir Dam was a run-of-the-river, cyclopean gravity dam located on the Charles Brown Brook. The dam formerly impounded a reservoir, but had has no function and caused significant negative impacts to the brook and to downstream reaches. DuBois & King developed removal design to meet the objectives of restoring AOP and the natural functions of Charles Brown Brook through the reach occupied by the obsolescent dam and infilled impoundment.

The reach of the brook above the dam silted in and became a wetland, such that no aquatic organism passage was possible. As a part of the removal design, the project team chose to remove the high-nutrient silt in the impoundment. Services included topographic survey, wetland delineation, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, geomorphic assessment, regulatory coordination (with the Army Corps of Engineers, State Dam Safety Program, and State Wetlands Program), and community outreach.

Wentworth Village Common Covered Bridge

 

Under a compressed time frame and uncertain budget, D&K provided civil-structural and permitting services for a project that replaced a severely deteriorated circa 1909 truss bridge with a covered bridge for pedestrian and other recreational traffic. The closure of the truss bridge redirected school children accessing the bus stop and others on foot onto the unprotected shoulder of NH Route 25.

Shortly after the closure, the client found a freely available covered bridge in the middle of an active demolition site in Bedford, NH and directly contacted D&K—with no clear schedule or available budget—to evaluate the structure for reuse and design shoring for transportation to the Wentworth site in a matter of a few weeks. Initial challenges included: the covered bridge had to be removed with no cost or inconvenience to the demolition contractor/owner; at 106 feet, the covered bridge was 10 feet longer than the bridge it would be replacing; due to the bridge’s design, non-destructive disassembly was not feasible; and no cranes of sufficient capacity to lift the covered bridge were available on short notice. D&K evaluated techniques to strip the bridge down to the appropriate pick weight for the available cranes; devised and implemented a design-build contract to utilize NHDOT municipal bridge aid funding to redesign the existing abutments; and designed cost-effective rehabilitation and modifications to allow for new loading conditions, exposure to the elements, and an increased hydraulic opening.

In addition to replacing a historically accurate covered bridge and providing a protected river crossing, (the truss bridge originally replaced the only covered bridge in the Town’s history) the project reused a 106’ all-timber structure that would have otherwise been landfilled. The bridge is designed for a 50-year service life. Located in the center of the Town, the bridge serves as a focal point for a municipal park and will serve additional planned outdoor recreation traffic including snowmobiles, human-powered winter recreation. The project received a 2018 Engineering Excellence Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies, New Hampshire Chapter.

Jericho Market MEP Engineering

 

DuBois & King provided mechanical-HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering services for core and shell design for an 18,000-sf “country-style” general market and grocery store. The project consisted of renovation and expansion of an existing metal building. Services included design of premium efficient HVAC, gas-fired VAV equipment, including heat recovery, design of a new domestic water distribution system, public restrooms and “back of house areas.”

Electrical design included a new 1,000 Amp service, general and specific power distribution, interior lighting, exterior building-mounted lighting, and life-safety systems, including fire alarm and security. D&K engineers provided coordination with the tenant’s fit-up MEP requirements, including a centralized rack refrigeration system, full commercial kitchen, deli, and similar food services.

Jay Peak Resort Austria Haus

 

D&K provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and structural design engineering services for the renovation to the Austria Haus building at the base of the mountain at Jay Peak. The building was redesigned to serve as a “country store” at the main level. Provisions General Store includes a small commercial kitchen, café seating, a general store grocery area, and retail “logo wear” area.

The store includes a walk-in beer cooler and vertical cooler/freezer grocery cases – both with custom designed economizers for winter free cooling operation. The food service includes a meat and deli line, hot food line, and drink service.

MEP upgrades for the 3-story building include new condensing boilers, pumps with new distributed heating systems, energy recovery unit, new plumbing and toilet rooms, electrical upgrades, and structural improvements. The upper level of the Austria Haus – used as a small conference and banquet facility – received new toilet rooms and improvements to the heating and ventilating systems. The lower level which includes back of house for the store and the mechanical spaces was left largely intact pending future planning by the Owner.

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