More than a quarter-century of maintaining the Brazos basin’s oldest dam

Possum Kingdom Lake’s Morris Sheppard Dam is unique for many reasons, though one may be less known to most. The Brazos River Authority’s oldest dam has a full-time team that cares for the structure, and since its inception, that team has been lead by one man, David Bloodworth.

Maintaining any dam structure requires constant, ongoing care. As the oldest water supply reservoir in the basin, PK’s Morris Sheppard Dam is also the largest of the BRA’s System reservoirs. To keep the aging infrastructure in top condition, the maintenance program is rigorous. Rather than contract out every necessary maintenance, repair or improvement project, the BRA has a staff crew dedicated solely to maintaining this enormous structure. The Reservoir System Maintenance Unit, called RSMU, has expanded over the past three decades into a vital part of the dam’s future and all under the leadership of one man.

Of course, when David Bloodworth joined the BRA in September 1992 he was already familiar with the inner workings of the Morris Sheppard Dam. He had worked for a construction company once hired for a maintenance project on the dam.

Bloodworth, who turns 73 in January, now has his eyes on retirement.

“You never tire of the view,” said Bloodworth recently, casting his blue eyes across the reservoir.

The BRA Board of Directors approved the formation of the RSMU in June 1992 to address recurring maintenance, repair and ultimately the replacement of the spillway gates.

The RSMU crew works year-round to maintain the 2,700 feet long and 190 feet high Morris Sheppard Dam with the knowledge and skillset to do so. The structure includes nine steel roof weir or bear-trap gates, each measuring 74 feet long by 13 feet high that are rigorously maintained by the RSMU crew. Built before the days of computerized, electronically-operated hydraulic gates, the bear-trap gates are operated manually – much as they were when the dam was originally built in 1941.

Under Bloodworth’s leadership, RSMU holds a wide variety of responsibilities, from operating the barge across the water to move equipment, using cranes to handle the bigger pieces and diving to the depths of the reservoir to maintain the gates from underwater. Team members are skilled in welding, fabricating, blasting, coatings application, metalizing, and heavy equipment operation among other skillsets.

Bloodworth said he’s seen a lot of changes over the years. In his nearly three decades with the BRA, Bloodworth said he’s worked under four BRA general managers and four project managers. Even the daily activities bring new challenges, which helps keep the job interesting, he said.

Reservoir Manager Blake Kettler said Bloodworth plays a crucial role for Possum Kingdom Lake and for the Brazos River Authority.

“With his oversight and knowledge of Morris Sheppard Dam, he maintains BRA’s largest dam and reservoir, allowing the BRA to meet the demands of our customers and provide stored water when needed,” Kettler said.

RSMU staff has proven they can repair, replace, construct, install and maintain challenging engineering projects. The BRA has used the team members knowing a better quality of workmanship, knowledge retention, and skillset exists within the department.

One of the bigger projects included the complete replacement of each of the structures’ nine spillway gates. The decade-long project extended the expected life of the dam structure.

“The gate replacement project at Morris Sheppard Dam was a monumental effort highlighting our RSMU crews’ capabilities and skillset,” said Michael McClendon, BRA Upper Basin Regional Manager. “Their can-do attitude over the life of the project proved time and again that our most valued asset is our workforce. Their skill-set, knowledge, and abilities save money for our customers, our organization and ensure Morris Sheppard Dam serves as a safe and reliable water supply for all.”

From the Ground Up

In 1989, Bloodworth moved to Mineral Wells while working in the oil industry. As the industry shifted, he opted out and made a career switch into construction. For three years, he worked to repair the dam’s gates with a company hired by the BRA. But Bloodworth’s work caught the BRA’s attention. The project manager at the time approached Bloodworth and offered him a full-time position, he said.

“I tried it, and I’ve been here ever since,” he said.

Standing at the BRA lake office at Observation Point, a popular location for visitors for its view of the dam, white buildings can be seen in a clear area on the opposite side of the dam. The workspace that now houses the RSMU group has come a long way from what it was when Bloodworth started.

“I had to borrow a pencil,” he said, with a laugh.

Bloodworth has helped guide the growth of the RSMU team. As buildings were added over the years to allow for more work and projects within the RSMU unit, Bloodworth said, much of the work was done by the crew themselves, from building the bathroom countertops, a break room, offices, and more structural pieces.

The environment alone presents a challenge for the crew.

Non-traditional approaches often are required to achieve a superior finished project, whether that’s due to humidity, confined areas, water hazards, extreme heights, Texas’ dramatic temperatures, and hazardous chemicals.

Bloodworth said he’s enjoyed the work and the position because every day is different. Every day brings a new project or task or obstacle to overcome.

“Plus, I have a good crew,” he said.

“I haven’t been promoted since I started as project superintendent, and it’s where I’m still at,” Bloodworth said. “It’s where I want to be.” Though his title may be the same, his responsibilities have grown.

When Bloodworth joined the BRA, he convinced five of his then coworkers to make the transition with him. Maintenance Supervisor Mark Parsons came over with Bloodworth. After having worked at the BRA these 27 years, he’s set to retire in December, Bloodworth said. Two of the men who initially moved over with him retired three years ago, he said. He has five current employees who’ve been with the crew for more than 20 years and six that have been there for more than 18 years.

There’s not a lot of turnover, he said.

“I’ve always enjoyed doing it,” Bloodworth said. “If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t be out here doing it.”

Last offer

Bloodworth said his former employer has called him three or four times a year since he joined the BRA, asking if he wants to return to the construction business.

“Three years ago, he called me and said this was his last offer,” Bloodworth said. “He was retiring.”

Bloodworth said he gave his usual answer, that the constant moving for new construction jobs was not appealing. With a family including grandchildren…and regular bass tournaments…he wouldn’t be going anywhere.

Working at Morris Sheppard Dam is unique simply due to its size.

“Every time you finish something, there’s something else to do,” he said. “And, you need a crane for everything out here.”

The deep hollows of the dam, where the team traverses to upkeep the structure, are also regularly visited by not-so-welcome guests.

Thousands of bats make the interior dark corners of the structure home, Bloodworth said. Rattlesnakes, enormous centipedes, and black widows also frequent the concrete structure. The news is old hat to Bloodworth’s RSMU crew, which maintains every inch of the large structure, saving the BRA countless costs by avoiding the need to hire outside work to work on the dam.

A love to dive

The RSMU has accrued a wide variety of talents over the years as the face the unique challenge of upkeeping the Morris Sheppard Dam, including diving.

Bloodworth said his dive team assists Lake Rangers when called upon for drownings and helped at Lake Granbury before the reservoir built its own dive team. Some people are surprised by that aspect of the job, but it plays an important part.

Surprisingly it wasn’t the BRA that first introduced Bloodworth to diving.

Bloodworth said he started diving for fun in 1968, shortly after returning from Vietnam. On a whim, he and a friend checked out scuba tanks in Destin, Florida from a little shop. Suddenly he was hooked on the activity. Bloodworth said he’s been cave diving in Coral Springs, Florida, and off the coast of Hawaii, where visibility was up to 30 feet.

While he no longer dives, Bloodworth still squeezes in a few bass fishing tournaments a year and time with family.

As he considers retirement, there is one thing about his unique job that just won’t be missed,

Bloodworth laughed as he recalled how all the computer work wasn’t as necessary three decades ago. Now, he steps away for a moment, and suddenly he has 15 emails.

This article is part of a series of profiles on Brazos River Authority employees.
Nominate someone for future profiles by emailing cassie.smith@brazos.org.