Teichert Construction Awarded Contract for Daguerre Point Dam Fishway
Teichert Construction will build a nature-like channel to improve fish passage around the historic dam.
An illustrated diagram of the planned Daguerre Point Dam fishway. Credit: Yuba Water Agency.
MARYSVILLE — Daguerre Point Dam stands on the lower Yuba River about five miles northeast of Marysville in Yuba County. The United States Army Corps of Engineers built the dam in 1910 to trap debris from hydraulic mining during the Gold Rush era. Existing fish ladders installed in the 1950s and extended in 1964 provide only limited passage for migrating fish.
The Nature-like Fishway consists of a channel designed to resemble a natural river around the south end of Daguerre Point Dam. Salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and lamprey will follow the roughly 3,000-foot-long channel to reach more than 10 miles of cool-water spawning habitat upstream. The project includes a modernized water diversion with protective fish screens at the upstream entrance to supply irrigation water while preventing fish entrainment. Existing South Bank diversion facilities will be decommissioned, and the area will be restored as a seasonal floodplain.
Yuba Water Agency awarded the contract to Teichert Construction on March 17, 2026. The initial $1.42 million covers final design and pre-construction services. Procurement was conducted through the Yuba Water Construction Authority using a construction manager-at-risk approach to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The approach brings the construction firm onto the project team during the design phase. The firm works with the owner to refine plans, accurately estimate costs, and commit to a guaranteed maximum price for construction. The firm then assumes financial responsibility for any expenses above the guaranteed price.
Yuba Water General Manager Willie Whittlesey stated in an agency news release, “Even as we pump the brakes on other spending while we recover from the recent penstock incident, it’s important that we continue moving forward with projects that deliver long-term benefits for the Yuba River and the communities that depend on it.” He added, “This project builds on years of collaboration and investment to improve fish passage while maintaining reliable water deliveries for local agriculture.”
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife committed $30 million to the project under the Yuba River Resilience Initiative agreement, signed on April 25, 2025. Total construction costs remain undetermined until the final design is completed. Yuba Water Agency serves as the lead agency for the development, operation, and maintenance of the fishway.
Pre-construction activities will advance through the remainder of 2026, with construction anticipated to follow. The project design incorporates flood resilience and low-maintenance features such as boulders, pools, and riffles for natural fish passage. Yuba Water Agency will handle ongoing monitoring and debris removal after completion.