Solid progress on the dam, permanent fossil park and balancing reservoir

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September 2025

Solid Progress: Strengthening the Dam

Crews have completed placing roller compacted concrete (RCC) on the left and right sides the spillway, leaving only the center section to be placed. The crews are scheduled to begin placing RCC in the center section in mid-October.

The earthen embankment that makes up the bulk of the dam is over 80 percent complete and is scheduled to be finished later this year. Crews have also begun to place the soil cement (a mixture of cement and sand) on the upstream face of the dam. The soil cement will protect the dam from wave erosion. The intake tower is also nearing completion.

The Leon Hurse Dam is 75 percent complete and on track for completion with the full water delivery system—balancing reservoir, pump station and pipeline—by the end of 2026.

Unearthing the Next Chapter: New Fossil Park Moves Forward

Construction on permanent fossil park – Summer 2025

Construction of the permanent Ladonia Fossil Park is well underway. Located downstream of Leon Hurse Dam, the permanent park will offer improved amenities for local fossil hunters and visitors alike.

The new park will include many of the amenities that made the temporary site popular as well as some new features, including:

Easy riverbed access
A larger parking lot
A covered pavilion

Workers have graded the site and are currently finishing the new river access, parking lot, fencing, erosion control and replanting grass.

Upper Trinity’s goal is to finish the main river access so the site can host the Fossil Day celebration in October. Fencing and pavilion construction will be ongoing, so the park may not permanently open to the public until later this year or in early 2026.

Construction of the new park’s river access – Summer 2025

First Pour for Balancing Reservoir

Concrete is poured to form one side of the two-part balancing reservoir

Concrete work is now underway for the project’s two-sided balancing reservoir. A balancing reservoir is like a double-sided sink. Located about 27 miles from the lake, it separates two sections of pipeline from the lake: one where water is pumped and another section where water flows by gravity. Once water is piped to the balancing reservoir, gravity takes over and transports the water to the Chapman Lake Pipeline and eventually to the water treatment plant.

In July, crews began placing roller compacted concrete (RCC) to form the bottom of the first of the two sides. When finished, each side will be able to hold around 15 million gallons of water.

Other progress includes:

Construction of the balancing reservoir’s inlet and spillway, which controls how water enters the reservoir.
Work on the outlet structure (see photo below), which manages how water leaves the reservoir downstream.
Electrical work across the site.

The balancing reservoir is scheduled to be completed by December of 2025.