The Coolidge examiner., 1946-01-04
Bids Opened for
Construction of
Davis Dam Project

AlAf mum lAAAtlhA ANliAi inv - AAAl
and power plant on the Colorad
river. 90 miles west OF Kingmau
bids were publicly opened las
week in the office OF CONSTRUCTION
Engineer II. +. Bahmeier. who vii
direct work on the project
Calling for the completion 81
mid-is4s OF the bureau OF recla
nations largest undertaking ir
the southwest since II built BOul
der dam. 81 miles upstream. th'
contdact Is expected 10 be awarde,
within the next few weeks provided
the bids received are determined {,
BE- acceptable. II was stated by r
A. Moritz regional director Of th'
bureaus Region III. with headquar
ters al Boulder City. New.
The low bid was submitted by
the Utah Construction Company oI
san Francisco. holders OF the orig
inal contract which was formerly
terminated in is43 because OF tbs
war.
Contractors and their bids are
a. follows:
Jam bunders. Inc, Los Angeles
Gam. SzI.fsI.yss.5 Davis Con
structors. Los Angeles. CANT. Sz5,-
z4z.ssU.VV. ArizOAa-Neyaua Con
stractVrs. PnOea4x. Arizona, SZz.
s05. .z8e.vv. Utah Construction 90,
san Francisco. Cam. $2I. .45z 500.
These bids represent cOntrac1
costs only. exclusive oil materials,
equipment and supplies furnished
by the government.
Originally called Bullshead dam,
the project was renamed IN 1871
m honor OF the late Arthur Poweii
Davls. VINO. as one OF the original
builders OF the old reclamation
service beginning with its inception
IA 1902 and later as director oil
the service from 1914 to 1928. laid
the foundation Tor the planned de-
veiopment OF the Colorado river.
Describing the project as a vital
part OF the comprehensive plan foi
the development oi the lower Colo
RADIO river basin. Mr.. Moritz said
The future economy OF the
west depends to a large extent on
the ability OF this and other prof
ects 10 furnish the necessary cleo
trical energy to meet the challenge
OF agricultural and Industrial ex-
pansion. Davis dam and power
plant will provide an increased sup
ply OF electrical energy TO alleviate
existing power shortages In the
southwest"
Mr.. Moritz called attention 20 the
part Boulder dam and other bureau
multple-purpose projects played In
furnishing power which helped win
the war. These projects Will pla!
equally as great a part in presery-
ing the peace by contributing to
the success OF the postwar indus
trial expansion which lies ahead.
he declared. The bureau is the
largest single producer OF power IN
the world.
Although designed principally to
generate electrical energy and 10
regulate the flow OF the river. the
project also will afford Incidental
fishing and other recreational IA
cilities for tourists.
The cost of Davis dam project IL
estimated at s77 .0OO. .0O0-S47 .OOO,-
600 for the building or the dam,
spillway. power plant. and other ap-
purtenant works at the dam. and
$50. .00O 900 for the construction OF
a power transmission system which
will be inter-connected with the
Boulder dam and Parker dam sys-
TENS.
Located In Pyramid Canyon. the
dam will be an earth-and-rock-fill
embankment creating a reservoir
with a capacity OF 1,s40.O0 acre
feet which viii be about three
times the volume of Lake Havasu,
created by Parker dam. The dam S
crest will be l3s feet above the
river bed.
Almost four million cubic yards
OF earth and rock will be required
TO form the dam and about ass. .00t
cubic yards of concrete and 5000.
00D pounds of steel reinforcing bars
win go into the forebay. spillway
and power plant structure.
An open channel on the Arizona
side will carry the flow of the
river around the dam while il is
under construction. This channel
will be a permanent feature for
the power plant forebay. spillway
and for non-power water releases
Water viii flow to the power plant
TO be built on the Arizona side
through five 22-foot diameter pen
stocks connecting with the forel Ay