Wednesday, September 24, 2003
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Wednesday, September 24, 2003 |
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State: Pye Lake dam must be replaced By JOHN MUNFORD
A recent inspection of the Pye Lake dam revealed several problems that could lead to a breach of the dam during a heavy rain event, causing a flood that would endanger the lives of those who live nearby, a state official said Friday. State regulations require that the owner, Harriet Parham, hire an engineer to create and oversee a plan to address eight deficiencies with the dam, which is at least 37 years old. If the repairs are not made, the state may seek court action to remove the dam, effectively draining the lake and removing the flood hazard, said Tom Woosley of the state's Safe Dams Program. The EPD could also attempt to fine the owner or set penalties to make sure the dam is fixed, Woosley added. "You hate to keep the dam there when it's unsafe," Woosley said. "... We try to work with them (the owners) all we can." The cost to repair the dam will likely run well over $100,000, Woosley said. Parham and her husband, Ronald, said last week the bill will run "several hundred thousand dollars" and they cannot afford to make the repairs. The Parhams want the city to foot the bill if possible. And while Mayor Ken Steele noted the lake is privately owned property, the city may pay for some of the improvements to the dam as part of its work to control flooding in the Gingercreek basin, officials said. Ronald Parham blamed the city for the lake's troubles, saying a lot of silt coming from new development in the area has diminished the lake's capacity over the years. "I feel like the city created the problem," Parham said as he spoke during Thursday night's Fayetteville City Council meeting. Pye Lake's dam is classified as a Category I dam, meaning it has the potential to endanger at least one life, Woosley said. The state only determines whether one life would be at risk, not estimating a total number of deaths a dam breach flood might cause or how many nearby homes would be affected, he added. Contrary to what was said at the council meeting, there are relatively few permitting obstacles to getting rid of a dangerous dam, Woosley said. "The regulatory requirements are pretty lax," Woosley said. Among the deficiencies cited by the Safe Dams program recently: The dam's main spillway is an 18-inch corrugated metal pipe which has a significant sag under the main portion of the dam. The earth emergency spillway, based on the 50-year flood study and visual erosion, is functioning far more frequently than the 50-year storm event. The dam is not capable of passing the flood developed by the design storm. The slopes of the dam are not properly vegetated.
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