Dawson Lake Progress : December 10, 2009 : First driveway goes in

Here are a few pics of the first driveway going in at Dawson Lake. This will be used to access the 1st home that architect Ole Sondresen has desiged and Bob Chamberland and his carpentry crew will build over the next few months.

Notice the white out condition in the first picture below, taken during one of the snow squalls that passed by with some 45mph winds this morning.

To build the driveway required building up the road with the excess dirt taken from a second drive that will be built just up the road. The dirt is then spread with the dozer and then compacted with the vibrating roller. The drive will then be stoned a little later on before construction begins.

- Richard Grist

Dawson Lake Progress : December 7, 2009 : Winter comes to Dawson Lake

The first week of December brought rain, ice, wind and snow to the Dawson Lake project but Bob Chamberland and crew continued to stay busy winding up the work around the dam. Read below for more information.

- Richard Grist

{above & below} The crew is putting the finishing touches on the top of the trash screen that the crew set in place on Sunday. The galvanized steel screen sits atop the standpipe that runs about 40' to the bottom of the dam. A portable acetylene torch was brought in to cut the necessary holes in the top.

{above} The crew was putting the last of 20 quad axle dump truck loads of rip rap limestone (650 tons) on the face of the dam. This has been a long and tedious process that covered the entire 800' length of the dam.

Dawson Lake Progress : Nov 6, 2009 : Dam all done!

Thursday was a banner day for Bob Chamberland and crew at Dawson Lake. The last of over 3000 loads of material was put in place and the dam was completed.

These pictures show the last load of material being laid down and compacted and also the standpipe and finished dam from different view points.

Congratulations Bob on an outstanding job!

- Richard Grist

Rick + Cindy Lazes

Richard Lazes and his wife Cindy, founders of Dawson Lake, have been working for twenty-five years on this project. During this period, Dawson Lake has developed a heartbeat, a rhythm and a purpose, truly becoming a labor of love. Their vision for the property has been evolving during this period and we hope that new residents at Dawson Lake will share their enthusiasm for this exciting lakefront community.

Dawson Lake Progress : Oct 14, 2009

All is going great with the progress at Dawson Lake, the back side of the dam is just about completed and the front is just week's away from completion. Fall coloration will peak this coming weekend and time for jackets, hats and hoods.

This week Bob and crew are getting some help from a high track D-8 Cat dozer with a ripper to put in the spillway for the dam. This machine weighs in around 100,000 lbs and has plenty of torque to get through the solid rock. Instead of drilling and shooting, the ripper on the back of the dozer breaks up the rock so it can be moved.

Up on top of the mountain, near the lodge site, Beckley Blasting has been put to work drilling and shooting a section of road through solid rock. This will be a nice piece of road upon completion. The steep ground does not leave much working room for the track drill. Notice the small white bags, they are filled with fertilizer and will be tamped into each hole with some diesel fuel along with a blasting cap and wire and then the blaster will holler "Fire in the Hole!!".

Tatco Trucking continues to deliver the sand for the key way being installed inside the dam. The key way is just about complete with just a few more loads to go.

The newest addition to the Dawson Lake project is a nice Komatsu dozer, spreading the dirt while water is applied to keep the moisture level in the required compaction range of 16-20%. Notice the stand pipe is just about level with the ground, there is about 30 feet of pipe not showing now. One more 8' section of pipe to be added before completion.

- Richard Grist

Dawson Lake Progress : Sep 5, 2009

Friday was an extremely busy day at Dawson Lake and everything went like clockwork as Bob Chamberland and crew set the 44 ton concrete catch basin on the outflow of the dam and also the third (next to last ) concrete extension on the inter workings pipe. The enormous amount of advanced planning and preparation by Bob and crew for this event certainly paid off.

- Richard Grist

{above} The large piles of sand that form a dams inner core to check any water penetration so water will not seep through the dam.
{above} The recently added water truck that provides about 9000 gallons of water a day to keep the soil moistened to about 20% moisture content for optimum compaction.
{above} Bob pointing to the leaves starting to change as Fall begins in earnest.

Dawson Lake Progress : Aug 26, 2009

Bob Chamberland and crew are making great progress with some improved weather conditions moving a mountain of dirt since our last visit. The Goldenrod, Pigweed and Joe Pie Weed are blooming which is a sure sign fall is on the way in the WV mountains.

- Richard Grist

{3 above photos} Show erosion control measures around the dam site. Check dams, silt fence, sediment pond with liners. The ditches were lined with a fabric that contains mulch and seed that will guarantee fast revegetation. The several acres that were seeded and mulched by hand are starting to sprout.

{2 above photos} Show the water pumping station and the water being applied to each lift of dirt that is put down. This brings the moisture content of the dirt from 9% to about 20% for optimum compaction. Water requirements run about 6000 gallons per day.

Dawson Lake Progress : July 20, 2009

Here are a few pictures of the great progress being made at Dawson Lake by Bob Chamberland & Crew. The rain has abated and the weather is just right for dam building.

The keyway for the dam is just about finished and the dam will start to rise. The internal workings of the dam (sand, limestone, culverts etc Will be installed as the dam is built.

The power cable is being pulled through the underground conduit that Bob installed last fall by the Power Company with a crew out of VA.

The hydoseeding that was done last fall is really taking hold and the road banks are looking great.

- Richard Grist

Dawson Lake Progress : July 16, 2009

Work continues on the construction of the dam, it was a great week for Bob Chamberland and crew as they set the concrete basin for the dam.

There were two sets of dam safety inspectors, one set from the State of WV and one set from the Canine Coalition. John James with Terradon is in the straw hat.

- Richard Grist

Dawson Lake Progress : May 22, 2009

Just thought you might like to see Dawson Lake construction getting underway this morning shortly after daybreak. Working on the road that will eventually cross the top of the dam.

- Richard Grist

Dawson Lake Progress : May 19, 2009

Below are some photos of the great progress Bob Chamberland and crew have made in the last three weeks. Today marks the completion of the preparation of the site to begin construction of the Keyway of the dam tomorrow.

- Richard Grist

{above} The large stockpile of high quality topsoil Bob salvaged during the clearing process.

{above} The settling pond that will be below the dam to catch runoff during construction.

{above} How Page Creek that will feed the lake was rerouted so construction of the dam can begin.

{above} Bob Chamberland and Paul Grist standing at what will be the deepest part of the lake at the base of the dam some 30 feet below the surface.

{above} Bob and his crew of skilled operators at the conclusion of the dam site area preparation phase. No woody debris can be left where the dam will be sited or in the soil used in building the dam as it could cause the dam to leak in years to come.

{above} Bob standing on about 1/3 of the amount of sand that will be used to build the internal drainage system of the dam.