Tag: Dam

To Dam It Or Not To Dam It

By Pete Haug, PE As a water resources engineer who’s inspected hundreds of river structures and dams over the past 15 years, I’ve seen dams at their best and worst. You have those fully functional dams dutifully retaining water, maintaining flood control, assisting with irrigation, controlling sedimentation, and supplying hydropower. And you have those that… Read More »

South Carolina Dam Failures Point to Need for Emergency Action Plans

This map provided by the state of South Carolina shows the large number of roads and bridges closed across the state as of Monday, October 12. Lives lost. Houses under water. Roads and bridges washed away. Dams failing. The images and stories coming out of South Carolina over the continuing catastrophe have been horrific and… Read More »

Quality Engineering Leaves Area Around Deluged Dam Safe, Not Sorry; Inspection Follows

There’s nothing like a flash flood to illustrate the value of professionally designed dam components … and the value of timely inspections to make sure floodwaters have not left the dam compromised. It didn’t take long for the Village of Strum’s new Crystal Lake Dam flashboards to prove their effectiveness. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources… Read More »