02-25-19-R - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Ramsey County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2018 Page | 99 Dam Failure and Climate Change Dams are designed based on assumptions about a river’s annual flow behavior that will determine the volume of water behind the dam and flowing through the dam at any one time. Changes in weather patterns due to climate change may change the expected flow pattern. It is conceivable that bigger rainfalls at earlier times in the year could threaten a dam’s designed margin of safety, causing dam operators to release greater volumes of water earlier in a storm cycle to maintain the required margins of safety. Such early releases of increased volumes can increase flood potential downstream. While climate change will not increase the probability of catastrophic dam failure, it may increase the probability of design failures. Minnesota had a dam failure due to a large storm event in June 2012. The Forebay canal in Carlton County had operated as designed for nearly 100 years. The intensity of the 2012 rain event caused a failure of the canal wall which caused significant damage. Climate change is adding a new level of uncertainty that needs to be considered with respect to assumptions made during dam construction. Vulnerability Areas most susceptible to the effects of dam failure are the populated places downstream from a dam location. The vulnerability of each jurisdiction to dam failure has not changed due to any development in the last 5 years. Plans and Programs in Place Ramsey County Emergency Operations Plan, Ramsey County COOP/COG Plan; Ramsey County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, THIRA – Ramsey County maintains several different plans including an Emergency Operations Plan, a Ramsey County COOP/COG Plan and the Ramsey County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, which are designed as guides for emergency and/or recovery operations. These plans are intended to assist key county/municipal officials and emergency organizations to carry out their responsibilities for the protection of life and property under a wide range of emergency conditions. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Dam Safety Program – For 30 years, the federal government has used the National Dam Safety Program (NDSP) to protect Americans from dam failure. The NDSP is a partnership of states, federal agencies, and other stakeholders that encourages individual and community responsibility for dam safety. The NDSP is intended to help states bring the necessary resources to bear on inspection, classification, and emergency planning for dam safety. National Inventory of Dams (NID) – The NID is a database managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. The NID is used to track information on the nation’s water control infrastructure. Information from the NID is used in the development of water resource management, land use management, floodplain management, risk management, and emergency action planning. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Waters – Dam Safety Program – The Minnesota DNR Dam Safety Program and current dam safety regulations require the safe design, construction, operation, and maintenance of dams in Minnesota. The state program includes review of design plans and plans for proposed dams, safety inspections of existing dams, and repair of dams. Saint Paul Emergency Management has plans in place covering possible failure of the Ford Lock & Dam #1 located