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<br />vaHey of the Purgatoire River was also being monitored daily. Based on past performance of this <br />dam, no problems were anticipated in these seepage areas, and none oGcurred. The inflow <br />continued to fall on May 6, 1999 from approximately 900 c.f.s. to 700 c.f.s. However, the dam <br />continued to store all inflows and on May 13, 1999, with the reservoir continuing to climb and <br />calls for irrigation releases not expected for several weeks, it was projected that the reservoir <br />would exceed the record pool. The previous record pool elevation was 6,222.67 feet set on April <br />26, 1983. On May 20, 1999 the pool reached elevation 6,221.76 feet with an inflow ofless tuan <br />450 c.f.s. Irrigation releases began the next day at 60 c.fs. After reaching an intermediate record <br />peak a subsequent rainstorm induced a new record pool elevation of 6,230.24 feet at 0700 hrs on <br />July 6, 1999. The project performed well throughout the flood event. <br /> <br />Fort Lyons Levee: The Fort Lyon levee is part of the John Martin Project. The levee was <br />constructed along with the dam in the early 1940's to protect the existing VA Hospital from high <br />pools in John Martin Reservoir. Many of the V A Hospital's vital infrastructure features, as well <br />as the hospital itself, are protected by the levee from even low-level flood pool reservoir <br />elevations. The bottom of the flood pool is elevation 3,851 feet while the hospital's power plant, <br />water supply pumps, and sewage disposal system are located at about devation 3,850 feet. <br />General contour maps indicate that the fIrst floor elevation of the hospital's main building is at <br />approximately 3,865 feet. <br /> <br />On May 12, 1999 numerous sand boils were reported along a 1,200-foot long section of the Fort <br />Lyon VA Hospital levee. The top of the levee is at elevation 3,875 feel! while the landside toe in <br />the area of the sand boils is about 3,844 feet. The two largest sand boils had a clear center about <br />12 inches in diameter and these sand boils had cones 5 feet in diameter and 18 inches high. <br />These sand boils were located within a drainage ditch that runs parallel to the levee on the <br />landside. The ditches carry interior drainage to a sump pump, which takes the water collected <br />into the reservoir. The project staff at John Martin was monitoring the situation there and <br />reported no unusual amounts of material being discharged at the boils. <br /> <br />Corps of Engineers personnel from the Albuquerque District left early on the morning of May <br />12, 1999 for John Martin Dam to inspect the sand boils. By this time the John Martin Project <br />Office had started to repair a 30 foot by 30 foot area with the two largest sand boils using a <br />supply of fIlter fabric and fill maintained at John Martin Dam to perform emergency repairs. By <br />the following morning the project offIce had stabilized three areas by constructing ring dikes <br />around the sand boils. Project office personnel remained on site to pemJrm additional work as <br />required. <br /> <br />In the afternoon of May 12, 1999 the section of the Fort L yon VA Hospital levee where the sand <br />boils had formed was inspected and it was determined that the situation posed no threat. <br />Nevertheless, as a prudent precaution, it was recommended that a contract be issued to build a <br />stabilizing berm on the landside of the levee. The berm would be constructed along the existing <br />road embankment that had been placed by the VA. The amount of fIll required varied from 4 to <br />10 feet thick. The repair work consisted of placing material to establish a working base, and <br />placement of filter material; then building an earthfIlI embanlcment 10 to 15 <br /> <br />Post Flood Assessment Report <br /> <br />23 <br /> <br />Chapter 3 - Flood of April 29, 1999 <br />Draft Revised 09/09/99 <br />