Stantec completes the Priest Rapids Right Embankment Improvement Project ahead of schedule

Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, is proud to announce the successful completion of the Priest Rapids Right Embankment Improvement Project. This critical infrastructure project, undertaken in collaboration with Grant County Public Utility District No. 2 (Grant PUD) and IMCO General Construction, enhances the safety and resilience of the Priest Rapids Dam, which is now able to withstand a 7.1-magnitude earthquake.

Located in Mattawa, Washington, the Priest Rapids Dam plays a crucial role in impounding water for a hydroelectric powerhouse with a rated capacity of 950 megawatts. Over time, concerns arose regarding the seismic resistance of the dam’s right embankment. To address this issue, Grant PUD initiated the Priest Rapids Right Embankment Improvement Project. Stantec’s team worked diligently to design and construct a downstream replacement dam, with the new structure mitigating potential liquefaction risks associated with the existing dam’s foundation.

Despite the challenges posed by the project’s complexity, the team managed to stay ahead of schedule and the project was completed a month early. The dam was designed and constructed using roller-compacted concrete (RCC), an alternate construction method for concrete dams that offers many advantages. Stantec has prepared designs for more than 25 RCC dams and rehabilitation structures, including gravity, thick-arch, and buttress dams.

 “We are thrilled to have successfully completed the Priest Rapids Right Embankment Improvement Project ahead of schedule,” said Mario Finis, executive vice president of Energy & Resources at Stantec. “Our collaboration with Grant PUD exemplifies our commitment to dam safety and community resilience. The project’s success was the result of a strong partnership spanning years of planning and dedication.”

“Completion of the Priest Rapids Right Embankment Improvement Project enhances the protection and preservation of the Wanapum people’s culture who live immediately downstream of the dam,” said Dale Campbell, senior manager of power production at Grant PUD. “This investment in Priest Rapids Dam is strategically critical for our customers as it reduces Grant PUDs public safety and financial risk for the foreseeable future.”

Stantec’s Energy & Resources team is an industry leader in dam safety and rehabilitations as well as the planning, design, and construction support of dams. The firm’s reputation for innovation and quality dam engineering is built on more than 100 years of experience. Stantec prepared an innovative and cost-effective final design that transformed an existing concrete gravity dam into an arch dam using RCC for the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project in Boulder, Colorado. The firm also used RCC to raise the San Vicente Dam in Southern California.

To learn more, visit: www.stantec.com/dams.

About Stantec
Stantec empowers clients, people, and communities to rise to the world’s greatest challenges at a time when the world faces more unprecedented concerns than ever before.   

We are a global leader in sustainable architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting. ​

Our professionals deliver the expertise, technology, and innovation communities need to manage aging infrastructure, demographic and population changes, the energy transition, and more. ​

Today’s communities transcend geographic borders. At Stantec, community means everyone with an interest in the work that we do—from our project teams and industry colleagues to our clients and the people our work impacts. The diverse perspectives of our partners and interested parties drive us to think beyond what’s previously been done on critical issues like climate change, digital transformation, and future-proofing our cities and infrastructure.  ​

We are designers, engineers, scientists, project managers, and strategic advisors. We innovate at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships to advance communities everywhere, so that together we can redefine what’s possible.​

Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN.

Media Contact 
Tyler McCalpin
Stantec Media Relations
Ph: (780) 917-8513
tyler.mccalpin@stantec.com