Whittier Narrows Dam Town Hall on April 16, 2026

The City of Pico Rivera held a town hall meeting on April 16, 2026, featuring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss the Whittier Narrows Dam improvement project. The meeting focused on the urgent need to repair and upgrade the dam, classified as very high risk due to its age and the large population downstream. The Corps awarded a pre-construction contract to Barnard Construction in April 2025 and the construction contract in March 2026, with work expected to begin between October and December 2026 and continue for approximately four to five years. The project involves significant construction activities including excavation, installation of a protective concrete shield, and raising portions of adjacent roads, which will impact local parks, trails, traffic patterns, and noise levels. The city and Corps emphasized ongoing communication and mitigation efforts to address community concerns such as dust control, noise, and traffic management. The meeting also addressed rumors about unrelated data center projects and clarified that the dam work is solely for flood risk reduction and public safety. No specific contract dollar amounts were disclosed, but the project is federally funded and involves coordination among multiple agencies and contractors.