PIERRE, (KCCR) — The link between Stanley and Hughes County over the Oahe Dam is expected to be closed next week for a few days. The closure is expected to begin on Wednesday, December 13th on South Dakota Highway 204 over the dam between state highways 1804 and 1806. The closure is to allow the U-S Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a required field inspection. Highway 204 is expected to reopen on Thursday, December 14th. If the weather gets bad or issues come up during the inspection the closure could be extended out to Saturday, December 16th. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requested the road closure across the Oahe Dam for the purpose of ensuring the safety of drill crew personnel who will be collecting embankment soil samples to be used for engineering evaluations as part of the routine dam safety program. Due to the steep slopes of the dam, this data can only be collected from the flat crest, or top, of the dam. During the closure of Highway 204, drivers will have to cross the Missouri River through Pierre and Fort Pierre.
