Laserfiche WebLink
<br />dams represented a significant to high potential hazard to downstream life <br /> <br />and property should failure occur. <br /> <br />Further, few states were determined to <br /> <br />be prosecuting adequate dam safety programs. For example, eleven states had <br /> <br />no laws regarding any aspect of dam safety, and twenty-four states were <br /> <br />found to have deficient dam safety statutes. States had given very low <br /> <br />support priority for dam safety programs, except after publicized failures. <br /> <br />Dam failures continued in the middle 1970 's. <br /> <br />In February 1975, Walter <br /> <br />Bouldin Dam, a non-Federal dam owned by Alabama Power Company and regulated <br /> <br />by the Federal Power Commission, failed, causing project damage estimated to <br /> <br />approach $100 million. <br /> <br />Bear Wallow Dam, a private dam located in North <br /> <br />Carolina, failed in February 1976, caus ing the loss of five lives and tens <br /> <br />of thousands of dollars worth of property damage, including destruction to <br /> <br />homes and public facilities. On June 5, 1976, Teton Dam, a 305-foot high <br /> <br />~ <br />I <br />I' <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />earthfill structure on the Teton River in Idaho, failed during first fill, <br /> <br />contributing to eleven deaths and causing project facilities loss, direct <br /> <br />property damage, loss of project benefits, and recovery costs in excess of a <br /> <br />billion dollars. <br /> <br />The publicized failure of Teton Dam, a major Federal dam, constructed by <br /> <br />the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, rekindled public attention on the issue of <br /> <br />dam safety and activated massive Congressional, independent, and Bl.!reau of <br /> <br />Reclamation investigations of this incident. <br /> <br />Additionally, President Carter, in a Memorandum dated April 23, 1977, <br /> <br />expressed his concern about dam safety and directed several Federal <br /> <br />Departments and agencies involved in the various aspects of dam planning, <br /> <br />design, construction, maintenance and operation, and regulation to initiate <br /> <br />a three-stage review of Federal dam safety procedures where (1) all agencies <br /> <br />responsible for dam safety were asked to review and evaluate their own dam <br /> <br />.3- <br />