LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A new $52 million bridge over the Colorado River will make life a little easier for the communities of Laughlin, Bullhead City and Fort Mohave.
Access to the river will be “very limited” next week for four hours during work related to the bridge, which is expected to open to traffic in March or April.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced it will reduce the river’s flow below Davis Dam — about 10 river miles above the construction site — temporarily on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 21, “in support of construction activities” on the Laughlin/Bullhead City Bridge.
The river will be at about a third of its normal volume during the planned four-hour operation, which could reveal debris or hazards along the banks.
“All river users should be aware that lower than normal river flows may expose or create natural hazards such as sandbars, gravel bars, unstable riverbanks, floating or submerged debris, or other unfamiliar obstacles. Access to the Colorado River below Davis Dam will be very limited and extra caution should be exercised if use of the river is planned during these times,” according to a Friday Reclamation news release.
The water release change is scheduled at 7-11 a.m. PST (8 a.m. to noon MST on the Arizona side of the river), but that could change depending on construction delays or other factors.
Normal releases from Davis Dam are around 6,300 cubic feet per second (cfs). On Tuesday, the volume will be 2,200 cfs.
The new bridge could open possibilities for more development in the area, officials say. The bridge will have two lanes in each direction, along with a pedestrian/bicycle bridge separated by a barrier.
