EBC Professional Development Program: Dam Practice for the Ascending Professional An Advanced Introduction Welcome

Jackson E. Bailey

Marketing & Program Manager Environmental Business Council

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy Program Purpose – What You Will Learn

Juan Pestana

Program Co-Chair

Senior Principal, Geosyntec Consultants

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy The Role of Dams in Flood Damage Reduction – A Systemic Approach

Col (ret) Curtis Thalken

Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Normandeau Associates, Inc.

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy Flood Risk Reduction in New England A Case Study Based on the October 2005 Storms

Col (ret) Curt Thalken , PE Senior VP/COO Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Agenda

▪ Background

▪ Decision Process During Storm Events

▪ October 2005 100 Year Flood Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Black River at Springfield, VT November 1927 Flood Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Merrimack River, Haverhill, MA September 1938 Flood Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Providence River, Providence, RI September 1938 Flood Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Pomfret Street, Putnam, CT Quinebaug River August 1955 Flood Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Knightville Dam, Westfield, MA Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Franklin Falls Dam, Franklin, NH Pemigewassett River Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

31 Dams

2 Hurricane Barriers Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Five basins regulated by New England District Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology Real-Time Water Management

Stream Gages

Receive Antenna

Hydrologic Processing Weather Radars

Support/Decision

Operational Decisions Inundation Predictions Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Manual Snow Surveys Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Cooperating Agencies • NOAA • National Weather Service (NWS) • NWS – North East River Forecast Center • U.S. Geological Survey • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service • Various state agencies Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Hurricanes

https://www.quincyvagell.com/2014/03/27/new-england-hurricane-tracks/ Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

New England District Hurricane Barriers

Cape Cod Canal Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

100 Year Floods 7-16 Oct 2005

USACE Flood Control Dam River Gage Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

7-16 Oct 2005 100 Year Floods

8 October Floods Keene, NH • Gages record flows of 5,000 cfs due to unregulated streams • Surry Mountain & Otter Brook Dams record 22,000 cfs inflows 16 October • Surry Mountain reaches 96% of capacity (2nd highest on record) • Otter Brook reaches 75% of capacity

USACE Flood Control Dam River Gauge Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Surry Mountain Lake, Keene, NH Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

1.5 ft below spillway

Surry Mountain Dam, Keene, NH Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Otter Brook Dam, Keene, NH Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Ashuelot River, Keene, NH

Flood Stage = 73.0 ft

Sep 1938=80.6 Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

River

Flooding of Keene State, NH athletic fields 73.00 at the Keene Gage Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Damage to Reservoir Facilities

Roads Bridges Recreational Facilities Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

7-16 Oct 2005 100 Year Floods 8 October Ashuelot River Floods Keene, NH • Gages record flows of 5,000 cfs due to unregulated streams • Surry Mountain & Otter Brook Dams record 22,000 cfs inflows 16 October • Surry Mountain reaches 96% of capacity (2nd highest on record) • Otter Brook reaches 75% of capacity

16 October Thames River Basin – East Brimfield Lake reaches highest impoundment ever at 52% of capacity – West Thompson Lake reaches highest impoundment ever at 62% of capacity

USACE Flood Control Dam River Gage Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

East Brimfield Lake, Fiskdale, MA Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

West Thompson Lake, Thompson, CT Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Dam Safety during a Flood/High Pool Event Westville Lake Dam

Dam project staff Seepage contact Reservoir Regulation Team or Geotechnical Staff of any unusual conditions or observations – Team Effort

Dam Safety Officer (Chief of Engineering and Planning Division) kept informed of all actions Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Dam Safety during a Flood/High Pool Event Westville Lake Dam Seepage • Geotechnical Staff Monitor Pool & Piezometer Levels • Maintain close coordination with the Reservoir Regulation Team • Piezometer Action Level – Piezometers read daily • Geotech Recon Level – Geotech Staff perform dam inspections Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Seepage Remediation at Westville Lake Dam Southbridge and Sturbridge, MA Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology 7-16 Oct 2005 100 Year Floods

8 October Ashuelot River Floods Keene, NH • Gages record flows of 5,000 cfs due to unregulated streams • Surry Mountain & Otter Brook Dams record 22,000 cfs inflows 16 October • Surry Mountain reaches 96% of capacity (2nd highest on record) • Otter Brook reaches 75% of capacity 16 October Thames River Basin – East Brimfield Lake reaches highest impoundment ever at 52% of capacity – West Thompson Lake reaches highest impoundment ever at 62% of capacity

Damages Prevented 7-16 Oct 2005 Reservoirs $365 Million Local Protection $211 Million USACE Flood Control Dam Hurricane Barriers $180 Thousand River Gage Total Benefits $576 Million Questions? Why Dam Safety? Current Practice and New Initiatives

J. Matthew Bellisle

Senior Vice President Pare Corporation

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy WHY DAM SAFETY ? CURRENT PRACTICES AND NEW INITIATIVES

J. Matthew Bellisle, PE - Senior Vice President Pare Corporation WHO IS THIS GUY?

J. MATTHEW BELLISLE, PE (RI, MA, NH, NY) SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/GEOTECHNICAL DIVISION MANAGER

27 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, 1,000 DAM INSPECTIONS, 50 REHABILITATIONS, 2 NEW DAMS, 5 SUCCESSFUL REMOVALS

PARE CORPORATION FOXBORO, MA | LINCOLN, RI SO LETS TALK ABOUT DAMS

BENEFICIAL FUNCTIONS (6)

• RECREATION • RESOURCE AREA FOR • WATER SUPPLY WILDLIFE • DRINKING WATER • IRRIGATION • PROCESS WATER • FLOOD • HYDROPOWER CONTROL/ATTENUATION WHO IS IMPACTED BY ALL OF OUR DAMS? Over the last several years the importance of dams and their associated risks were highlighted during the regions unprecedented rainfall.

Imagine that some of the dams had not been present to store rainfall and run-off. Imagine if more dams had failed. Neither image is a good one. BASIC OWNER REQUIREMENTS

• REGISTRATION OF THEIR DAM • MAINTENANCE OF THEIR DAM • INSPECTION OF THEIR OWN DAMS • REPAIR OF THEIR OWN DAMS • MAINTENANCE OF AN EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN FOR HIGH AND SIGNIFICANT HAZARD POTENTIAL DAMS • NOTIFICATION OF TRANSFER OF DEED BASIC OWNER REQUIREMENTS (CONTINUED)

COMPLIANCE WITH DAM SAFETY REGULATIONS 1. OWNERS SHALL KEEP THEIR DAMS IN A SAFE CONDITION. 2. OWNERS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE OR INJURY. 3. OWNERS MAY WORK WITH REGULATORS AND MUNICIPALITIES. SPILLWAY DESIGN FLOODS

• DAMS SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO PASS CERTAIN SIZE STORM EVENTS WITHOUT OVERTOPPING • TYPICAL FOR LARGE SIZE DAMS: • HIGH HAZARD POTENTIAL – ½ PROBABLE MAXIMUM FLOOD • SIGNIFICANT HAZARD POTENTIAL – 500 YEAR STORM EVENT • LOW HAZARD POTENTIAL – 100 YEAR STORM EVENT WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT DAM SAFETY ?

AGING DAMS HAZARD CREEP PUBLIC AWARENESS PREPARATION SECURITY WHAT CAN BE DONE ? HOW CAN DAM SAFETY BE IMPROVED AND THE IMPACTS OF DAM FAILURES MINIMIZED?

• PROPER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION • PROPER MAINTENANCE OF EMBANKMENTS, SPILLWAYS, GATES AND VALVES • REGULAR INSPECTIONS AND TESTING OF EQUIPMENT, BY OWNERS AND ENGINEERS • EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS AND INUNDATION MAPS FOR OWNERS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL • REMOVAL OR REHABILITATION OF DEFICIENT DAMS • LIMITING DEVELOPMENT BELOW EXISTING DAMS • LIMITING DAM CONSTRUCTION ABOVE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT Inspections When ? By whom ? With what? Looking for …. Inspections Formal Maintenance Informal L E A K A G E Spalling and Seepage Rodents

Sinkhole

Scour

Boone Lake Muddy Water Boone Lake Sinkhole

Subsidence or Sinkhole Erosion Erosion OvertoppingOvertopping StabilityStability failurefailure

Photo Courtesy of MDCR and ASDSO SO AGAIN, WHY DAM SAFETY? This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA • REGULAR DAM INSPECTIONS – ALL STATES • EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS • SPILLWAY DESIGN FLOOD NEW & COMPLIANCE ONGOING INITIATIVES • DAM REMOVALS CONTACT INFORMATION

J. MATTHEW BELLISLE, PE (RI, MA, NH, NY) SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/GEOTECHNICAL DIVISION MANAGER

[email protected] 508.543.1755 | 401.334.4100

PARE CORPORATION FOXBORO, MA | LINCOLN, RI Dams and Fish Survival – Fisheries Perspective

Tyler Parent

Program Co-Chair

Fisheries Scientist Normandeau Associates, Inc.

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy Dam Management with Fish Survival in Mind

Tyler Parent Fisheries Scientist Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Let’s focus on downstream Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

How do fish pass? Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Species-dependent process for telemetry tags Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

It is important to figure out the route Environmental Consulting • Research • Technology

Hi-Z Turb’N tag Questions? Moderated Discussion