XN000022-1972-08-24 — Page 3

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Thursday, August 24, 1972

HIGH ISLAND RESERVOIR CONTRACT AWARDED

The Government announced today the award of a contract for the

construction of the High Island Reservoir to an Italian civil engineering

construction company, Vianini Societa per Azioni. of Rome.

The contract is worth approximately $460 million.

Works in the High Island Reservoir contract include the construction

of two rockfill dams rising 210 feet above sea level and 340 feet above

the foundation level.

One dam will be 2,500 feet long and the other 1,500 feet.

At top water level the reservoir formed will be 3 miles long

and 2 miles wide and will impound 60,000 million gallons of water,

The contract will also include the construction of two smaller

rockfill dams to seal neighbouring valleys against overflow and the

formation of roads, cofferdans and other ancillary works.

Work is expected to start in October. Impounding within the

formed reservoir will commence in 1976, but the reservoir construction

will not be completed until early 1979.

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