dam owner responsibilities 101 - final owner...dam owner responsibilities lesson 101 “since...

North Carolina Association of Floodplain Managers

April 30, 2014

DAM OWNER RESPONSIBILITIESLESSON 101

Dam Owner ResponsibilitiesLesson 101

• Connection to Floodplain Managers• North Carolina Dams• Overview of Dam Owner Responsibilities• City of Austin Stormwater Pond Safety Program

Dam Owner ResponsibilitiesNorth Carolina Dams

Data from NCDENR Dam Inventory

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

High Intermediate Low

Number of North Carolina DamsBy Hazard Classification

Govt (Local, State, Federal) Private Utility Other


Image from WCNC

Dam Owner ResponsibilitiesFailures do happen

Image from Association of State Dam Safety OfficialsDam and Levee Failures

Dam Owner ResponsibilitiesResources


“Since millions of people live practically in the shadows of majors dams, it is imperative that increasing attention be given to finding the best way to ensure protection.”

‐ Robert B. Jansen, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior

“Age brings about an increased need for maintenance of the dam and, it become more expensive”

‐ National Watershed 2010


• Who is responsible?– Owners of Dams– Parties responsible for O&M

• Responsibility = Liability

• If something happens, Sue them All


• Limiting Exposure– Proper Operations and Maintenance– Inspections– Record Keeping– Emergency Action Plans

“Maintenance is needed to continue to realize local benefits and to keep dams safe”

‐ National Watershed Coalition, 2010

Dam Owner ResponsibilitiesInspections and Maintenance

• Vegetation Control• Crack monitoring, investigation, repair• Ruts and Low Spot repairs• Animal Control• Erosion Repair• Stability (Slides)• Seepage Monitoring/Repair• Toe Drain Maintenance• Instrumentation• Concrete Structure Monitoring and Repair• Gates / Pipe Outlets

Dam Owner ResponsiblyInspections and Maintenance

Dam Owner ResponsibilitiesEmergency Action Plans

• Why have an EAP– Identify emergency conditions

threatening a dam– Plan for effective response to

prevent a failure– Reduce potential liability– Prevent damage– Save lives

• The effort to prepare, test, and update an EAP far outweighs the risk of not being prepared

Dam Owner ResponsibilitiesEmergency Action Plans

• Formal document identifying potential emergency conditions with preplanned actions to minimize property damage and loss of life– Dynamic, redundant document– Emergency notification procedures– Downstream hazard map for road closures and evacuations

• Resources– NCDENR Fillable Template

Dam Owner ResponsibilitiesEmergency Action Plan

EAPs have 4 steps

Dam Owner ResponsiblyCity of Austin SPSP

• 2003 Inventory Project – Inventory of dams/potential dams owned by the City– Established a Dam Safety Program– Modified Drainage Criteria Manual

• 2005‐2006 Analyses and Planning – Simplified Breach Analyses for over 100 dams– Flood frequency analyses– Ranked CIP for approximately 60 structures


• 2007 Implementation Began– Construction Documents and Permitting– Three Highest Ranked Projects– Improved Dam Inspection Program– Improved Dam Maintenance Program– Began developing EAPs

• 2008 Construction Began– First three completed in 2008– Four more completed through 2013– One dam under design


• Ongoing Activities– City strengthened Development Review– Improved records keeping– Improved their Inventory of Dams – Close Coordination with State Regulators– Updated rules (match TCEQ changes in 2009)– Currently evaluating program (rules clarification, waivers)


Association of State Dam Safety Officials2013 Western Region Award of Merit


Questions?

Mike Wayts, P.E., [email protected]

Jay Scanlon, P.E., [email protected]