Dam Safety and Rehabilitation issue…                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

There are over 6,000 dams in Kansas regulated by the state.  Many of these are watershed flood retarding dams and they are starting to experience the effects of age and urban sprawl.  Repairs can be quite expensive and development downstream of these structures can cause the hazard classification of the dam to be elevated resulting in costly upgrades and additional inspection fees.  Many landowners and watershed districts simply cannot afford to make these modifications.

 

At the crux of the issue is properly identifying breach inundation zones and how to adequately protect life and property in the event of dam failure.  This gets into the issues of personal property rights and responsibility.

 

Watershed dams provide limited flood protection to property below the reservoir.  Downstream development subsequent to dam construction can elevate the hazard classification of the structure resulting in costly upgrades to the structure design.  Currently, these costs are passed on to the party responsible for the dam, usually a watershed district.

 

The Legislature has authorized $1,000,000 to be used to help fund breach inundation zone mapping, dam upgrades and needed repairs.  This is a small percentage of the total amount needed to fully fund such an endeavor.  The Watershed Dam Construction Program Rules and Regulations were amended on March 24, 2006 to provide additional guidance in the expenditure of this money.  These regulations do not provide for expenditure of funds to rehabilitate dams built by private individuals.

 

Applications for dam rehabilitation must be submitted by July 1 to be eligible for funding the next fiscal year.  All applications are then given priority ranking.  Projects eligible for financial assistance include:

 

• Engineering fees
• Construct or repair embankments
• Excavation
• Metal, concrete and other components
• Breach of dam
• Establishment of permanent vegetation
• Fencing
• Riprap or filter material
• Decommissioning
• Upgrade of spillway
• Acquisition of inundation area easements
• Inundation area mapping; and
• Any other components the State Conservation Commission deems necessary

 

Those seeking state financial assistance for inundation area mapping will be required to demonstrate a well designed plan for controlling development within the breach inundation zone of the reservoir.

 

  For more information, you may contact Kent Askren at the Kansas Farm Bureau Natural Resources office in Topeka (785-234-4535).