This is part three of a series looking at the infrastructure of dams in Texas, and what can be done to improve it. You can find part one , and part two .
In 1978 a massive storm hit the West Texas town of Albany. It dumped 23 inches of rain in just eight hours. Waters . Troy Henderson, who now works on the Brownwood Texas Lake Patrol, says since then he鈥檚 followed a simple rule.
鈥淚f I were to build a home somewhere, I鈥檇 make sure that if it was downstream from a lake that their dam is property maintained,鈥� he told StateImpact Texas, 鈥渁nd the reason I say that is, I lived in Albany in 1978.鈥�
The Federal Government echoes that advice. In the FEMA booklet 鈥淟iving with Dams,鈥� the agency urges people to 鈥渁sk questions鈥� about the condition and hazard rating of dams near their homes.
But here in Texas, no one needs to answer those questions.
鈥淭here are certain things that we are not allowed to share like the hazard classification of a dam or something that鈥檚 more related to homeland security,鈥� Warren Samuelson, Manager of the Texas Dam Safety Program, explained to StateImpact Texas.
The reason is a 2005 opinion by the Texas Attorney General that keeps information about dams secret 鈥� citing concerns for homeland security. The results of that secrecy in Texas can be confusing.
Take the dam safety workshops presented by the TCEQ. They鈥檙e are filled with images and examples of Texas dams in surprisingly bad condition. But if you ask exactly where those structures are located, the agency refers you to the state Attorney Generals ruling.
At a presentation in August, the FEMA recommendations came up specifically. Dam owners were told that they did not have to provide information to their neighbors about their dams. At that workshop the TCEQ鈥檚 Warren Samuelson also said the Commission can鈥檛 give information to floodplain administrators. A fact that frustrates some public safety officials.
鈥淚 think that there is some things that public should be aware of, such as if they鈥檙e going to be the area that may be inundated with water from a flood,鈥� Bill Smith, an emergency management director and floodplain administrator in Jasper County, East Texas, told StateImpact Texas.
鈥淭he dams in my area are in good shape as far as the larger dams. Now, the smaller dams, the private dams, I鈥檓 not that sure about because I don鈥檛 have the information.鈥� 鈥� Bill Smith
Smith occasionally runs up against Homeland Security rules. Like some others in public safety, he questions the benefit of keeping such important information secret.
鈥淭he dams in my area are in good shape as far as the larger dams,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow, the smaller dams, the private dams, I鈥檓 not that sure about because I don鈥檛 have the information.鈥�
Policies vary state-to-state and different federal agencies have still different policies. While the TCEQ guards some dam details, some local entities in Texas will happily share facts about dams under their control. The lack of a system of rules has not escaped the notice of policymakers, says Civil Engineer John Wolfhope. He sits on the National Dam Safety Review Board, a group that advises FEMA on Federal guidelines for dam safety.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a discussion going on at a national level to provide guidance on how this information should be treated.鈥� Wolfhope told StateImpact Texas, 鈥淯nfortunately we鈥檙e still in a state of limbo as of this year.鈥�
But he;s confident new recommendations will emerge soon. Once they are released, it will be up to the state of Texas to decide whether to follow them.
Copyright 2020 KUT 90.5. To see more, visit . 9(MDAxODQzOTgwMDEyMTcyNjI4MTAxYWQyMw004))
