Dam owners urged to lower lake levels ahead of hurricane

Advisory to Virginia Dam Owners ahead of Hurricane Florence

 

RICHMOND, Va. — As of Monday Sept. 10, the National Weather Service has forecasted the potential for a major hurricane-level storm event in Virginia within the next week. Rainfall projections are currently forecasted to be from approximately 10 to 20 inches in some areas of the state if the storm were to slow down or “stall.”

 

In preparation for this potential storm event, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Dam Safety Program is offering the following information to dam owners.

 

1. Reach out to your professional engineer and discuss the specifics of your dam and what to do during an emergency situation.

2. Locate and review your dam's emergency action plan if one is in place. Ensure that all contacts and contact information are up-to-date. Provide any updates to the local emergency services contact and DCR Dam Safety.

3. If your dam has a working low-flow valve, you as the dam owner should consider consulting with your professional engineer about possibly lowering your lake level by up to 6 inches per day (24-hour period). By lowering the normal water level in your lake, you provide extra storage for when rainfall begins. Note that lowering lake levels by more than 6 inches per day is not allowed as rapid drawdown of a lake level could result in critical damage to your dam.

4. Visually inspect your dam and remove any debris from the primary and emergency spillways. Contact your professional engineer if any dam-related issues are found (seepage, slope failures, rodent holes, etc.)

 

For information about the Virginia Dam Safety Program, go to https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/dam-safety-and-floodplains.