Virginia Department of Emergency Management Coordinator’s Briefing

1. Virginia Department of Emergency ManagementCoordinator’s Briefing Changes in State Dam Safety Regulations Mark Slauter, CFM Virginia Department of Emergency Management

2. Primary Changes • Hazard classification scheme changed • All permitted dams must prepare inundation maps • All permitted dams must have either an emergency action plan or preparedness plan • Exercises • Impacts to local staff

3. Example of a Dam Failure Teton Dam near Driggs Idaho • Several seepages identified on June 3, 1976. • Observed wetness on right abutment on June 4 • Major leak noticed around 730 am on morning of June 5

4. Image of dam between 1030 and 1100 am June 5, 1976

5. Image of dam shortly after failure at about noon on June 5, 1976

6. Hazard Designations • Old categorization scheme of I, II, III & IV = hazard risk high to low • New classification is High (I), Significant (II) and Low (III & IV).

7. Dam Owner Responsibilities • Development, maintenance, and exercise of the EAP • Technical sections (such as inches of rainfall or depth of flow triggering levels of response & downstream break inundation mapping) will require the services of a registered professional engineer.

8. Owner Responsibilities (Cont.) • Develop EAP in coordination with othergroups (community, emergency management). • EAP must comply with state dam safety program requirements. • EAP must contain all components previously listed, be in writing, & agreed to by all parties.

9. State EAP Form

10. Exercises

11. Regulations for Exercises • Altered the frequency for table top exercises from once every 3 years to once every permit cycle (6 years). • Annual drills and table top exercises for multiple impounding structures may be performed in combination if the involved parties are the same. • A drill shall be conducted annually for each high or significant hazard impounding structure.

12. Regulations for Exercises • Owners shall certify to the department annually that a drill, a table-top exercise, or both has been completed and provide any revisions or updates to the EAP or a statement that no revisions or updates are needed. • Eliminated the requirement that a critique of the drill and table top exercise be provided to the Department.

13. Local Impacts • More than 660 dams • About 50% classified as high / significant (includes federally permitted sites) • 90 Counties / Cities have a permitted dam • 78 high /significant (average of 4 each) • Lowest number = 1 • Highest number = 23 • Locality affected by dams upstream

14. Contact Information Mark Slauter VDEM mark.slauter@vdem.virginia.gov 804-674-2405 Jim Robinson DCR Jim.robinson@dcr.virginia.gov 804-786-2886

15. EOP Dam Safety Annex • Dam Owners • Develop and Maintain EAP for dams • Local Government • Develop compatible procedures to warn and evacuate the public in the event of dam failure. • Dam Safety Annex should include alldams within the jurisdiction

16. EOP Dam Safety Annex • Local Responsibilities • Develop compatible procedures to warn and evacuate the public in the event of dam failure; • Notify public of possible dam failure; • Order immediate evacuation of residents in expected inundation areas; • Sound warning through use of sirens, horns, and vehicles with loudspeakers, Emergency Alert System, telephone calls, and door-to-door notification to evacuate individuals immediately out of the area or to high ground in area for later rescue; • Debris Removal • All agencies tasked in this plan implement recovery procedures; • Review emergency procedures used and revise, if necessary, to insure lessons learned are applied in future disasters; and • Determine what mitigation measures, if any, should be initiated

17. EOP Dam Safety Annex Dam Safety Annex should: • Include action items • Be specific to the jurisdiction • Include list of impoundments with appropriate contact information • Act as a quick reference