In the face of a challenge, there are the doers and the dawdlers. The staff at Blue Springs Lake in Blue Springs, Missouri, are doers. When the knife gate in the dam’s outlet tower was facing a full replacement, the lake project staff suggested they attempt to rebuild it instead. Despite the obstacles they faced, the team’s ingenuity and innovation prevailed – not only improving the functionality of the knife gate but also saving taxpayers an estimated $200,000. A knife gate is a specialized low-flow valve inside of a dam’s outlet tower, which features a sharp-edged blade designed to cut through debris so water can flow freely. The knife gate at Blue Springs Lake had not been serviced since its installation, more than 30 years ago. In desperate need of attention, engineers suggested it be replaced. However, due to the conditions in the outlet tower, the cost of a replacement would have been significant.