Nearly one year after the October 2015 flood where breached dams caused destruction, regulators are trying to codify new rules for the structures.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control reports 52 dams were breached during the historic flooding last fall. The agency is proposing that dam owners update contact information and emergency plans yearly and that future regulation cover smaller dams. The agency regulates more than 2,300 dams statewide. DHEC is also suggesting that dams that pose greater risk are inspected more frequently.
A similar bill was filed last session but didn’t get out of committee. The legislator did allocate money to DHEC that allowed it to double its number of dam inspectors. Representative Russell Ott from Calhoun County understands the safety concerns but is wary that a change in state law is needed to ensure dams are safe.
“I don’t want to go swing the pendulum from one side to the other,” he said. “I don’t want to go from perhaps not having a regulatory program that is sufficient to having one that is overly burdensome.”
Repairing dams can be very expensive. DHEC legislative liaison David Wilson, who testified at Thursday’s hearing, said owners are struggling with how to pay for the fixes which can cost millions of dollars.
I don't want to go from perhaps not having a regulatory program that is sufficient to having one that is overly burdensome.
Dams that still haven’t been fixed or breached are still impacting state roads. The South Carolina Department of Transportation reports that 23 roads are still closed due to dam failures. Andy Leaphart with SCDOT said dam owners can take as much time as they want to decide what to do with their dams.
“It is a very frustrating process. We got roads that carry up to 8,000 vehicles a day that are still closed and some smaller ones that carry 150 cars a day,” he said. “We hear from those equally.”
The dam safety committee plans to meet again in a few weeks to consider DHEC recommendations for a new law.
Update: