February 25, 2013 - New Deepening Project begins
Cut will be deepened to 3600 (MSL)
CASTLE ROCK CUT Reopened June 2008 - Deepened 2009
Shortcut from Wahweap to Uplake destinations.
In Spring 2009 Castle Rock Cut (CRC) was dry once more. NPS authorized the deepening project and Brown Bros Construction completed the work allowing the Cut to reopen in May 2009. Boat traffic can now use the new and wider Cut. Boats save travel of 12 miles each way when leaving from Wahweap Marina to destinations uplake. The annual savings in gas equals the cost of deepening the cut. Rough water in the main channel between the dam and Warm Creek Bay can be avoided. The CRC shortcut allows emergency rescue personnel to arrive where they are needed in shorter time. Deepening the cut has made the Lake Powell experience more enjoyable, safer and less expensive.
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May 2004 - NPS gained approval to deepen the Castle Rock Cut from the present level as seen in these pictures to a level as low as 3580. |
Castle Rock - July 2005 |
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June 2008 - The cut flooded in 2008 allowing boat passage when the lake naturally rose above Elevation 3615. |
The deepening Project began in March 2009 as lake levels fell and allowed CRC to dry once again. |
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This was a very large project involving 6 weeks of work with heavy equipment |
Rock layers were fractured by blasting to facilitate removal of overburden from the Cut channel |
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A 12 foot high steep wall was cut out on the south side. |
The north side had a more gradual sloping wall. The Cut was lowered to Elevation 3607. Boats can now use the passage at Elevation 3610. |
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The coffer dams at each end of the Cut were removed and the water ran freely across the Cut channel. |
The Cut is now passable to all boat traffic and will remain so until the lake falls below Elevation 3610 |
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Ground level view of boats cruising through the Cut. |
