Agenda - 05-06-2010 - 4m - Laserfiche WebLink

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Property owners downstream often know nothing about the potential that an upstream dam has to cause devastation should it fail. Even if citizens understand and are aware of dams, they still can be overly confident in the infallibility of these manmade structures. Living in dam-break flood-prone areas is a risk. Many dam owners do not realize their responsibility and liability toward the downstream public and environment. Adequate understanding of proper dam maintenance and upgrade techniques is a typical problem among many owners ' across the United States. History of Dam and Levee Failures in North Carolina The North Carolina Dam Safety Program has made use of National Dam Safety Program funds to create and implement the North Carolina Emergency Action Plan. The Plan was activated in 1999 during and after Hurricane Floyd and was instrumental in reducing response time in closing roads and evacuating persons from high-risk areas. Following Hurricane Floyd, no injuries were reported despite the failure of 36 dams (14 high hazard, 5 intermediate, and 121ow or unclassified dams). In the days and months following Hurricane Floyd,North Carolina dam safety personnel worked to ensure the safety of over fifty dams damaged by the hurricane. Dam owners, safety inspectors and local emergency management personnel monitored these dams asking owners to lower water levels and/or complete emergency repairs. Dams in Orange County There are 38 regulated dams in Orange County. Tl�ree(3)of these are within the town limits of Chapel Hill,which is not included in this plan. Seven(7)of the dams are rated "high hazard" (3 of these are within Chapel Hill),meaning that if a failure were to occur there is a probable loss of one or more human lives and property damage exceeding $200,000. A list of the dams is found in the table below. 21