INDUSTRY: DAMS, LOCKS & WATERWAYS
When Failure Is Not an Option
When your prime contract includes hydrodemolition, concrete removal, or selective demolition on a dam, lock, or waterway structure, the specialty subcontractor you put on that scope carries your reputation. The wrong sub misses the window, fails the safety audit, or damages what they were supposed to preserve. That doesn't happen on paper — it happens in front of your owner.
For nearly 30 years, general contractors and prime construction firms have brought ATI onto their dam, lock, and waterway scopes because we show up prequalified, execute to spec, and never become the problem on their schedule. We've done this work. We know what the GC needs from a specialty sub — and we deliver it.
The Problem
What GCs Face When Concrete Fails on a Dam
When you're the prime on a dam or waterway project, the specialty concrete scope is one of the highest-risk line items on your schedule. Here's what makes getting the sub selection wrong so costly.
Zero Tolerance for Vibration: The spec calls for hydrodemolition for a reason. Explosive or mechanical demolition risks adjacent structural concrete and rebar. If your sub doesn't own and operate the right equipment, the method variance request starts a chain reaction you don't want.
Tidal & Navigation Access Windows: Lock schedules, navigation authority restrictions, and tidal access windows compress your working time. A specialty sub who isn't prepped and prequalified before mobilization day burns that window before anything is produced.
Safety & Compliance Accountability: Army Corps projects and federally regulated waterway structures hold the prime responsible for every sub's safety record. Your specialty concrete sub's EMR and ISNetworld status become your problem the moment they're on site.
OUR SERVICES
What ATI Delivers on Dam & Lock Projects
ATI has executed some of the most technically demanding dam, lock, and waterway concrete scopes in the country. Here's how we execute where others can't.Hydrodemolition
High-pressure water demolition preserves rebar integrity, eliminates spark risk, and creates ideal bonding surfaces for overlays and repairs — the method of choice on dam and waterway concrete rehabilitation specs across the country.Concrete Scarification & Surface Prep
Dam faces, spillways, and gate structures require concrete surfaces prepared to exact profile specifications for overlay adhesion. We hit those specs consistently.Selective & Robotic Demolition
In confined lock chambers and gate bays, our robotic demolition equipment accesses spaces human operators cannot. Zero vibration. Zero compromise.Wire Sawing & Core Drilling
Cutting through mass concrete sections, removing gate sill concrete, and creating penetrations through thick structural walls — we've done all of it on active dam and waterway projects.Underwater Demolition Support
ATI has operated below the waterline. From dam toe removal to submerged pile cutting, our experience with underwater structure work is documented and proven.Refractory & Legacy Removal
Older dam structures often contain deteriorated legacy materials. We remove what the next contractor can't — safely and completely.HOW WE WORK
What GCs Get When ATI Is on the Scope
Step 1
Pre-Mobilization Scope Coordination
Once your contract is awarded and ATI is confirmed as the concrete specialty sub, we review your scope drawings, access constraints, tidal or navigation scheduling requirements, and equipment positioning with your project team — before mobilization day. There are no surprises on day one. We show up to produce, not to plan.Step 2
Prequalification — Already Done
ISNetworld, Avetta, HASC — our compliance is current before you ever call us. We don't make your project team wait on safety documentation. It's in hand. You verify it, we mobilize.Step 3
Crew Mobilization & Field Execution
ATI's field crews are trained, background-checked, and ready for federal and regulated facility access. We bring the equipment, the operators, and the daily accountability to your schedule — and we execute to spec without requiring your superintendent to manage us.Step 4
Closeout — Clean & On Time
We document the work to your closeout requirements, coordinate waste and water management, and demobilize completely on your timeline. We don't leave loose ends that delay the next trade behind us.WHY ATI
What Sets Us Apart on Dam & Waterway Work
▸ Federal Facility Ready: Pre-qualified through ISNetworld, Avetta, and HASC. Our crews clear background checks and federal access protocols without delay.
▸ Hydrodem Specialists, Not Generalists: We don't rent hydrodemolition equipment and figure it out. ATI has owned and operated this technology for nearly three decades.
▸ Zero Rebar Damage Record: On projects where rebar preservation is the entire point, ATI's hydrodemolition record speaks for itself. We've never compromised a rebar mat on a structural rehabilitation project.
▸ Waterway Infrastructure Experience, Coast to Coast: We know the waterways, the regulatory bodies, and the contractors who manage dam and lock infrastructure — from the Gulf Coast to federal waterway systems across the country.
▸ Award-Winning Safety Program: Our EMR and TRIR ratings aren't just numbers. They reflect 28 years of systematic safety culture built into every job — including the ones nobody photographs.
▸ Direct, Accountable Leadership: When something needs a decision on a dam project, one call reaches ATI leadership. We are accessible, responsive, and accountable at every phase — no layers of management between you and the people running the job.
"On dam and lock rehabilitation work, there's no room to learn on the job. You want a contractor who has already solved the problem you're facing — and can prove it before they touch your structure."
— Aggregate Technologies, Operational Philosophy