The North Carolina Dam Safety Program provides oversight of more than 3,000 dams statewide, working to provide for the certification and inspection of dams to reduce the risk of failure of dams; to prevent property damage, personal injury, and loss of reservoir storage; and to ensure maintenance of minimum flows of adequate quantity and quality below dams.
The explosive removals of many smaller dams have been caught on film, including the White Gulch and Horse Creek dams in California and the City Mill Dam in Georgia. There are also plenty of interesting videos of excavator removals, including this time lapse of an excavator drilling out the Minnesota Falls Dam on the Minnesota River.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) considers dams to be one of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors that form the core of the DHS security mission.
The DHS website provides resources regarding maintaining site security at dams and offers many online training courses for dam owners and professionals. The resources can be accessed at -sector.
All dams should be operated and maintained in a safe manner. Under Indiana Code section 14-27-7.5-7, the owner of a structure shall maintain and keep the structure in the following state of repair and operating condition:
American expansion spurred a continual demand for lumber. The growth of the logging industry in the region brought rapid change to the Olympic Peninsula and specifically to the Elwha River with the construction of two dams. The Elwha and Glines Canyon dams were built in the early 1900s, generating hydropower to supply electricity for the emerging town of Port Angeles and fueling regional growth on the Peninsula. However, construction of the dams blocked the migration of salmon upstream, disrupted the flow of sediment downstream, and flooded the historic homelands and cultural sites of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.
IS-0874: Introduction to Seepage and Internal Erosion and the Emergency Response to Seepage Related Dam Risks
The goal of this training course is to introduce the concepts and implications of seepage and internal soil erosion in embankment dams. This training course will help emergency response personnel understand and address dam risks related to seepage and internal erosion. This course is under revision and will be available after it is updated.
DSS-WISE Lite Workshop
This FEMA workshop will teach dam safety professionals, dam safety regulators, community officials and emergency managers how to rapidly identify the potential flood hazard areas downstream of dams. It also will teach why it is important to evaluate the consequences of potential dam releases or failures, what steps can be taken before a dam failure incident to mitigate flood risk and manage the risk that remains.
Low head dams are structures that generally span from one side of a riverbank to the other, partially blocking the waterway and creating a backup of water behind the dam. As the water reaches the wall it flows over the drop-off, which can be anywhere from six inches to twenty-five feet. Because the drop-off can be as low as six inches, the dangers of low head dams are often underestimated, and the presence of a low head dam can be difficult to see when approaching from upstream.
Low head dams are extremely dangerous and have led to many fatalities of anglers, boaters, paddlers, tubers, swimmers, and would-be rescuers. Powerful recirculating hydraulics at these small dams can trap and drown unsuspecting river users, which is why low head dams have been dubbed the name "Drowning Machines". The 3rd Street Dam has claimed unfortunate lives over its controversial history.
Please take the time to watch some videos to see why low head dams are called "Drowning Machines". With the attention that the 3rd Street Dam receives from the public, especially during flooding events, the City of Huron is taking steps to eliminate the submerged hydraulic recirculating current below the dam and improve safety concerns. This follows an aggressive national movement underway to remove the dangers at low head dams, also known as "Drowning Machines".
Dams are a critical part of Florida's infrastructure for the vital benefits they provide such as flood protection, water supply, irrigation and recreation. They must be properly maintained throughout their lifespan to operate as intended. As dams age, they require greater attention and investment to ensure their safe operation.
Continuous dam safety practices are particularly important for dams that are upstream of human populations, where dam misoperation or failure has the potential for loss of life and property. Visit the Association of State Dam Safety Officials Take Action and Be Prepared website to learn more about the importance of dams.
Safeguarding dam safety in Florida depends on the involvement of local, regional, state and federal agencies, public and private dam owners and operators, industry specialists and the public. We encourage you to know your risk, know your role, know the benefits of dams and take action.
The Florida Dam Safety Program (FDSP) is composed of DEP, Northwest Florida Water Management District, Suwannee River Water Management District, St. Johns River Water Management District, Southwest Florida Water Management District and South Florida Water Management District staff who perform grant-funded and regulatory activities to secure the safety of dams and related structures to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the public.
Owners of High Hazard Potential and Significant Hazard Potential dams are strongly encouraged to develop EAPs to provide a comprehensive and consistent plan to implement in the event of a developing or imminent emergency in order to protect lives and reduce damage to property, infrastructure, and wetlands and other surface waters.
The construction, operation, alteration, repair or abandonment of a dam, impoundment, reservoir and other works may require an Environmental Resource Permit under Chapter 62-330, Florida Administrative Code. The agency responsible for processing a permit application is determined by an "activity-based split" of regulatory authority. In general, DEP processes permits for dams associated with landfills, wastewater treatment, mining, hazardous waste and potable water treatment facilities. DEP also handles single-family and Port Authority dams as well as dams in a few other categories.
Additionally, there are numerous fact sheets covering a wide range of topics, including ownership responsibility and liability; how to procure the services of a professional engineer; emergency action planning; earth dam failures; seepage through earthen dams; trees and brush; rodent control; open channel spillways; design and maintenance of trash racks for pipe and riser spillways; inspection of concrete structures; and concrete repair techniques. Other resources include downloadable and on-demand webinars.
National Dam Safety Awareness Day is May 31. Visit the Association of State Dam Safety Officials Take Action and Be Prepared website to learn more about the importance of dams, which are equal to bridges, roads and airports in our nation's infrastructure. Dam safety is a shared responsibility, and we encourage you to know your risk, know your role, know the benefits of dams and take action.
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