In October, crews began construction on the 40-foot-tall inlet/outlet tower located outside the tunnel on the right abutment of the dam. Water will flow through the tunnel into the tower and then directly into Chimney Hollow Reservoir. The tower creates 408 acre-feet of dead storage allowing sediments to settle in the reservoir before entering the tower. Similarly, the trash racks inside the tower will prevent debris from entering the tunnel.  

The tower will also provide a way to place the bulkhead, a large steel plate, over the tunnel entrance. The bulkhead is a critical piece of the infrastructure that, when in use, blocks reservoir water from entering the pipe so personnel can complete maintenance on the tunnel. A crew that includes divers will conduct bulkhead testing both before the reservoir starts to fill and after the tower is at least 20 feet underwater.  

Construction crews have excavated and poured the concrete foundation of the tower and they are expected to complete this project early next year. The tower is one of the final key elements of Chimney Hollow that is remaining before water is able to enter the reservoir.