[EarthResearcher333]

"...do you conclude from what you have seen so far that Gate Replacement will be a feature of the 2017 bid project?"

No. The only Gate Repair that should be done at a minimum is the Anchor Tendons + structural repairs to existing cracks. They don't have enough time to do a "major gate replacement". (assuming this is what your question is asking i.e. Full Radial Gates, Trunnions, Head Structure, or combination thereof etc).

[KC Burke]

Well, California DWR has to have some crisis for 2018 to look forward to in the grasping of Federal Funds and the mantra of Constant Water Crisis.

[EarthResearcher333]

For Clarity: The "Bridge" issue/discussion is regarding the possibility of a separate structure, away from the existing Flood Control Gate structure, somewhere in the elevated ridge area of the upper main spillway. The basis for this deduction is that there likely is a calculated & real risk posed to the existing Flood Control Gate Structure bridge from the existing cracks, recent intense usage, informal reports of other side access cracks (approach) forming, and "one way" usage of the bridge with slow speeds during the recent heavy load transport repairs.

However, this too (bridge) may be a logistical & time consuming project to execute.

In the original construction of the Spillway, there were two land crossings at the elevation of the spillway chute grade before the upper & lower spillway sections were completed. Of course, the Flood Control Structure was not completed at that time and thus there was no bridge available.

Since the Main Spillway needs to be inoperative during the reconstruction & repair, they could use a temporary access road across the erosion canyon exit channel next to the Feather river. This would eliminate the logistics, cost, and time for an upper spillway west access heavy crossing use item (i.e. no separate bridge) alleviating the necessity of using the Flood Control Structure bridge.