1. EBC Dam Management Webinar
Operations and Maintenance Manuals for Dams
Guidelines for developing an OM&M and how to take care of a dam
Environmental Business Council of New England
Energy Environment Economy
2. Environmental Business Council of New England
Energy Environment Economy
Welcome
Christopher D. Haker
Chair, EBC Dam Management Committee
Principal Engineer, Tighe & Bond
3. Environmental Business Council of New England
Energy Environment Economy
Introduction
Derek Schipper, P.E.
Program Chair
Senior Consultant
GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.
4. Environmental Business Council of New England
Energy Environment Economy
Developing a Dam Operations
and Maintenance Manual
Laurie Gibeau, P.E.
Project Manager
GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.
5. Developing a Dam
Operations and
Maintenance Manual
Laurie Gibeau, P.E.
Project Manager
GZA | 249 Vanderbilt Avenue
Norwood, MA 02062
laurie.gibeau@gza.com
6. Presentation Outline
• Why you need an O&M plan
• Know your audience
• Presenting information
• O&M plan contents
▪ Where to find the EAP
▪ Description of the dam
▪ Dam operations
▪ Inspection and monitoring
▪ Maintenance guidelines
7. Presentation Outline
• Why you need an O&M plan
• Know your audience
• Presenting information
• O&M plan contents
▪ Where to find the EAP
▪ Description of the dam
▪ Dam operations
▪ Inspection and monitoring
▪ Maintenance guidelines
8. Why you need an O&M Plan
• Staff turnover
• Deferred maintenance is expensive!
• Inspection intervals can be 2 to 10 years depending on the hazard
classification
• It’s required (some places)
• Consolidates SOPs
9. Presentation Outline
• Why you need an O&M plan
• Know your audience
• Presenting information
• O&M plan contents
▪ Where to find the EAP
▪ Description of the dam
▪ Dam operations
▪ Inspection and monitoring
▪ Maintenance guidelines
10. Know your audience
• Who owns/operates the dam?
▪ Municipality – DPW
▪ Small water supplier – dedicated staff
▪ Large water supplier – dam safety office
▪ State/federal government - varies
▪ Private owner – contractors and consultants
• Does the dam owner/operator already have O&M plans for other
structures?
• Eschew obfuscation/espouse elucidation
11. Presentation Outline
• Why you need an O&M plan
• Know your audience
• Presenting information
• O&M plan contents
▪ Where to find the EAP
▪ Description of the dam
▪ Dam operations
▪ Inspection and monitoring
▪ Maintenance guidelines
12. O&M Plan: Presenting Information
The location of the observation well is shown
on Drawing 5 in Appendix C. The well is
labelled as GZ-2 in the drawing and is located
on the downstream side of the crest near the
spillway. Water levels within the observation
well can be measured manually using a water
level indicator.
• Remove the observation well cap
• Insert the water level indicator into the
well
• Lower until the water surface is reached
(indicated by light or sound).
• Record the depth to water on the data
sheet (Appendix D)
• Calculate the water surface elevation:
145.8’
- water depth reading
water surface elevation
15. Presentation Outline
• Why you need an O&M plan
• Know your audience
• Presenting information
• O&M plan contents
▪ Where to find the EAP
▪ Description of the dam
▪ Dam operations
▪ Inspection and monitoring
▪ Maintenance guidelines
17. O&M Plan Contents: Dam Description
• Dam Location – consider parking locations, GPS coordinates,
and landmarks
Don’t forget there can be multiple access points
“The left abutment of Mill Pond Dam is on Route 123 (at 456 Main Street, the
Smith Paper Mill).
To access the right abutment from Route 123, one turns west onto Washington
Street, continues for 0.9 miles and proceeds north on Maple Street for about 1.1
miles to a railroad access gate on the right, across from Jones’ Diner. A 0.3 mile
path, capable of passing vehicular traffic, leads to the right side of the dam.”
• Dam Purpose – recreation, water supply, flood control
18. • Description of the Dam and Appurtenances
• Dam Construction and Rehabilitation History
• Key Personnel and their responsibilities with contact info
▪ Owner
▪ Operator
▪ Engineer – consulting or in-house
▪ Regulators – State and Federal
▪ Contractors (if appropriate)
▪ Other – railroad, utilities, etc.
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Description
19. • Operator visits
• When and how to use outlets and spillway controls
• Notifications
• Special H&S concerns? – Confined space, LO/TO
• Equipment needed
• Flood procedures
• Seasonal operations
• Drawdown rates
• Special monitoring during operations -Downstream
flooding, Stepped releases, Instrument monitoring
• Documentation
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Operations
20. • Special H&S concerns?
• Schedule and responsible parties
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Inspections
Inspection/Monitoring Type Frequency Items to Inspect, Monitor, Record Personnel
Informal unscheduled (e.g.,
storm event, snow melts,
earthquake)
As needed Spillway and Embankment:
water levels, unusual conditions
DPW
Informal Quarterly Spillway and Embankment:
water levels, spillway debris, seepage, slides,
rodent activity, vegetation, vandalism
DPW
Maintenance Annually In addition to above items: slope protection
condition, maintenance of operating and safety
equipment
DPW
Technical 5 Years Safety Inspection (See 302 CMR 10.07) Engineer
Groundwater Levels Quarterly
Monitoring well on the downstream side of the
top of dam
DPW or Consulting
Engineer
21. • Include checklists/logs for the different kinds of inspections
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Inspections
Again, know your audience!
22. • Include pre-set photo locations for future comparison
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Inspections
23. • Include pre-set photo locations for future comparison
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Inspections
2020
2012
24. • Include checklists/logs for the different kinds of inspections
• Include pre-set photo locations for future comparison
• Any ‘special’ inspections: previous deficiencies, off-dam water
control, downstream culverts, toe drain video, dive, etc.
• Instrumentation plan
• Locations
• When to read
• How to read
• Keeping records
• What do you do with the readings?
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Inspections
25. • Prevents expensive repairs later on
• Determine what needs an engineer’s guidance
• Evaluate how much detail is needed
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Maintenance
26. • Vegetative maintenance – mowing and brush removal
• Facilitates inspection
• Set plan and height limits based on state regs or federal guidance
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Maintenance
27. • Debris that could impact flow near gates, spillways, channels
• Animal control – seepage pathways
• Earth embankments – eroded paths, ruts, sloughs
• Security/vandalism/public access
• Safety items
O&M Plan Contents: Dam Maintenance
From ASDSO “https://damsafety.org/dam-owners/rodent-
control”
29. • Normal condition versus Emergency condition
• Instrument action levels
• Reservoir elevation
• Threats
• Seepage
• Gate failure
• Cracking
• Et cetera
O&M Plan Contents: Triggers
From FEMA “Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety, Emergency Action Planning for Dams (FEMA 64)”
30. • When to update
• Periodically – every five years
• When personnel changes
• Unusual events
• Major rehabilitations
• Keep revision log
• Who should have a copy – understand FOIA
O&M Plan: Keeping a Manual
33. Environmental Business Council of New England
Energy Environment Economy
Operating and Maintaining MWRA Dams
John Gregoire
Program Manager, Reservoir Operations
Massachusetts Water Resource Authority
34. Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
Environmental Business Council of N.E.
Operating and Maintaining MWRA Dams
John Gregoire, Program Manager, Reservoir Operations
19 August 2020
35. • A little about MWRA…
• Our dams – from west to east (what and where)
• O&M overview at each dam
– Example O&M Plan
– Recent major projects
– Upcoming projects
– Routine grounds
– Routine and special operations
– Security
• Statutory Releases at Dams
• Flood Control
2
Today’s Presentation
38. Quabbin Reservoir: USGS gaging station on CT River monitor
to trigger releases to the Swift River.
“War Department Permit, 1930” --maintain 20 MGD as measured at
Bondsville at all times. When CT River is between 4650 cfs and 4900
cfs, increase release to Swift R. to 70 cfs (45 MGD); when CT River is
<4650 cfs, increase release to Swift River to 110 cfs (71 MGD)
5
Statutory Releases at Reservoir Dams
39. Ware River: “War Department Permit, 1926” –Diversion of Ware River may
only occur when flows are above 131 cfs (85 MGD). Timelines:
December 1 –June 1 we can divert any time needed.
June 1 –December 1–diversion requires notification of MA DEP.
No diversions June 15 –October 15 permitted
Wachusett Reservoir: Release to Nashua River: “Acts of 1895” –12 MG per
week or 1.72 MGD
Sudbury Reservoir: Release to Sudbury River: “Acts of 1872” –maintain a
flow of at least 1.5 MGD in Sudbury River below Framingham Reservoir Dam
#1
6
Statutory Releases at Reservoir Dams (cont.)
41. • Grounds maintenance performed by DCR
– Slope mowing, road maintenance, riprap
vegetation clearing
• MWRA Operations:
– Transfer water to Wachusett Reservoir
– Transfer water to Chicopee Valley Aqueduct
– Release water to Swift River to meet statutory
requirements
• MWRA Major Maintenance and Capital Repairs
– Dams Instrumentation
– Internal drainage improvements
– Intake structures upgrades
– Electrical Power upgrades
– Security cameras
– Spillway repointing
– Fencing rehab
8
O&M – Quabbin’s Winsor Dam, Spillway and Goodnough Dike
43. • Grounds maintenance performed by MWRA
– Slope mowing, road maintenance, riprap
vegetation clearing
• MWRA Operations:
– Operate Intake to transfer WR water to
Quabbin
– Seasonal drawdown
• MWRA Maintenance
– Intake structure – screen maintenance at
drawdown
– Invasive plants removal at drawdown
– Local drainage improvements around dam
– Spillway repointing
10
O&M – Ware River Dam
44. Wachusett Dam and Spillway
North Dike
South Dike
Wachusett Reservoir
46. • Grounds maintenance performed by DCR
– Slope mowing, road maintenance, riprap
vegetation clearing at North Dike and South
Dike
• MWRA Operations:
– Elevation control
– Statutory releases
• MWRA Major Maintenance and Capital Repairs
– New dams Instrumentation underway at
North and South Dikes
– Intake structures repair and upgrades
– Apurtentant structures (Bastion) rehab
– Electrical Power upgrades
– Security cameras
– Spillway repointing
13
O&M – Wachusett Dams and Dikes
49. • Grounds maintenance performed by MWRA
– Slope mowing, road maintenance
• MWRA Operations:
– Transfer water Foss Reservoir for elevation control
– Transfer water to downstream Stearns Reservoir and then
to Sudbury River for statutory releases
– Transfer water to the emergency Sudbury Aqueduct
– Flood Control Operations
– Seepage Control Weir Monitoring
• MWRA Major Maintenance and Capital Repairs
– Dams Instrumentation
– Intake upgrades
– Sluice gates maintenance
– Security cameras
– Spillway repointing
16
O&M –Sudbury/Foss Reservoir Dams
51. Norumbega Gatehouse and Dam #1
Dam #2
Dam #3
East Dike
Dam #4
Norumbega Dams and Dike, Schencks Pond Dam
Schencks Pond Dam
52. • Grounds maintenance performed by MWRA
– Slope mowing, road maintenance, riprap
vegetation clearing, perimeter fence
maintenance at 6 earthen dams
• MWRA Operations:
– Elevation control at Norumbega
– Transfer water to Schencks Pond
– Elevation control at Schencks Pond
– Maintain Norumbega emergency spillway
• MWRA Major Maintenance and Capital Repairs
– Dams Instrumentation planned
– Security cameras
19
O&M – Norumbega Reservoir Dams and Dike, Schencks Dam
58. • Grounds maintenance on 5 earthen dams
performed by MWRA
– Slope mowing, riprap vegetation clearing
• MWRA Operations:
– Elevation control
– Monitor seepage control weir
• MWRA Major Maintenance and Capital
Repairs
– Dam armoring
– New instrumentation planned
– Seepage control (recent construction)
– LLO channel stabilization
25
O&M –Fells Reservoir Dams and Spot Pond Dam
60. • Routine physical security patrols at Quabbin and Wachusett Dams by DCR
Rangers
• Routine physical security checks at emergency reservoirs/dams by MWRA
O&M personnel
• Security cameras installed at key locations and monitored 24/7 by
contractor security officers allow rapid response.
• Arrangement with MA State Police for patrol at key facilities
27
Security
61. 28
Thank you for attending this presentation
John.gregoire@mwra.com
62. Environmental Business Council of New England
Energy Environment Economy
Flood Control of the Charles River Basin &
Operations and Maintenance of Controlling Dams
Bill Gode
Director, Flood Control Management and Navigational
Operations Section, Design and Engineering
Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation
63. Goals
• Overview of the Charles River Watershed
• Definition of the Charles River Basin
• A little history
• Explanation of how Basin levels are
controlled
• Maintenance of facilities
64. Charles River Watershed
• Charles River flows
for 80-miles through
23 communities
• Watershed
comprises 307
square miles
• It all* goes to the
Charles River Basin
between Boston and
Cambridge
* mostly
Source: USACE Water Resources Investigation, Charles
River Study, Appendix A, 1971
71. The First Charles River Dam - 1908
• “Joshua of old
commanded the sun to
stand still and made it
stick; Joshua B. Holden
yesterday dammed the
Charles river and the
river backed up.”
72. DATUMS
• 0’ MDC Base ≈ -106.45’ NAVD88
ALWAYS KNOW THE
DATUM YOU’RE USING
• 0’ MDC Base = -105.65’ NGVD29 (~MSL)
• 0’ MDC Base = -100.00’ BCB
• 0’ MDC Base = -100.81’ MLLW (tide)
75. Flooding 1954 & 1955
• Hurricane Carol (31aug1954) and Hurricane
Edna (11sep1954) caused flooding. Basin
reached 110.55’. ~10” in rainfall with a high
tide of 112.0’.
• Hurricane Diane (19aug1955) caused
severe flooding of the Basin. Basin
reached 112.5’. ~12” in rainfall with a high
tide of ~112.5’.
78. Changes to Charles River Dam
• Transform Recreational Lock to Ninth
Sluice
• Modernize steam-driven system to
electricity
79. Flooding of 1968
• 17-18mar1968 heavy rains amounted to
about 7.7-inches of rain. However, this fell
on melting snow, accelerating the melt and
causing the Basin to reach 110.85’.
84. Basin Operation
• Typically basin is drained twice daily
through two 8’ X 10’ sluice gates around
time of low tide.
• Basin is drained in advance of storm to
build storage.
• Upper reaches of Charles River drawn
down in advance of storm.
• Flows diverted to Mother Brook.
• If inflows are excessive pumps are used.
86. Pumps at
New Charles River Dam
• 6 Pumps
• 630,000 gpm –
each
• Can lower 9-
mile basin 1
foot in 1-hour
• Pumps may
operate
regardless of
tide level
87. Maintenance
• Annual Inspections by Army Corp. of
Engineers
• O&M Manual
• Dewatering and Inspection of One Pump
Annually
• Hydraulic System Component
Maintenance (pumps, accumulator tanks,
hydraulic fluid)
88. Maintenance – Cont.
• Air Compressors – belts
• Navigation Lamps – bulb replacement
• Mowing
• Drain Clearing
• Emergency Generator – load testing
• Emergency Power Transfer System –
exercising
• Flood Control Pumps – exercising (people
and equipment)
89. Maintenance – Cont.
• General -
• Exercise it so it breaks when
you don’t need it so you can fix it for when
you do need it.
90. William A. Gode-von Aesch
Director of Flood Control Management &
Navigational Operations
william.gode@mass.us
91. Environmental Business Council of New England
Energy Environment Economy
Dam Emergency Operations and Response:
Suggestions for Owners and Engineers for
Dealing with “Unusual” Conditions
Chad Cox, P.E.
Senior Principal
GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.
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Chad Cox, P.E.
Civil Engineer / Sr. Principal
GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.
Norwood, Massachusetts
SUGGESTIONS FOR OWNERS AND ENGINEERS
FOR DEALINGWITH “UNUSUAL” CONDITIONS
Note: We will focus on “Unusual.” Which might turn into “Emergency”… but doesn’t have to!
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WHAT DOYOU MEAN
BY “UNUSUAL?”
94. Page | 3
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Problems
can stack
up!
Seepage
Blanket?
Observation
Well?
Massive
Flooding!
This did not end well…
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ProactiveBy Design.
Our CompanyCommitment 1.Preparedness
2. Assessment
3. Monitoring
4. Response
5. Post-Action Documentation and Follow-Up
Five Suggested Steps for Response
to “Unusual” Conditions
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❑ Information
❑ Equipment
❑ SupportTeam
1) PREPAREDNESS
What do you need?
When do you need it?
BEFORETHERE IS A
PROBLEM
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❑ Emergency Action Plan
❑ Summary Information
❑ Design / “As Built” Drawings
❑ Maps
❑ Boring Logs
❑ Previous Inspection Reports
❑ Hydrology and Hydraulics Studies
❑ Operations and Maintenance Manual (!!!)
Information
1) PREPAREDNESS
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Dam-Specific Pertinent Data from your Files
1) PREPAREDNESS
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Dam-Specific Pertinent Data from your Files
1) PREPAREDNESS
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1) PREPAREDNESS
If there are some “data gaps”
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BE SAFE
&
Dress
appropriately
for the Job!
2) ASSESSMENT
107. Page | 16
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2) ASSESSMENT
UNUSUAL EVENT: “This situation is not
normal but has not yet threatened the operation
or structural integrity of the dam, but possibly
could if it continues to develop.” – Condition of
the dam should be closely monitored. (NRCS)
Assess potential threat to the structure and
to public safety – Is this an EMERGENCY or
merely an “Unusual Event?”
(If Emergency then activate EAP!)
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Tracer
Dye In
Tracer
Dye Out
2) ASSESSMENT
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION:
What has changed?
❖Was that hole there yesterday?
❖Was the seepage rate always so high?
❖Did that crack get larger?
❖Etc!
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❑Documentation (Notes, Photos, etc.)
❑Compare conditions against previous data
❑Estimate rate of change (Does the situation call
for rapid action or are things slowly developing?)
❑For Flooding Issues: EstimateWatershed
/ Reservoir Response
❑IS IMMEDIATE ACTION NECESSARY?
❑SHOULDTHE IMPOUNDMENT BE LOWERED?
2) ASSESSMENT
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❑Establish Chain-of-Command and Lines of
Communication
❑ Notifications as needed
❑Establish Baselines
❑ Water levels
❑ Seepage
❑ Instrumentation
2) ASSESSMENT
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Communication
• Supervisor
• Owner
• State Office of Dam Safety / FERC
• Local IncidentCommander
• ElectedOfficials
2) ASSESSMENT
• Overall Condition of Dam
• Nature of Situation
• Assessment of Risk of Failure
• Level of Impoundment
• Downstream Population at Risk
• Downstream Property at Risk
• Hazardous Conditions at Site
Who to call: What to tell them:
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• RecordWater levels:
– Increasing?
– Decreasing?
• Record Seepage / Leakage rates
• Look for unusual movement of dam
and/or appurtenant structures
• Take instrumentation readings
• Document Everything! (always
include water levels)
• Establish a monitoring frequency
3) Monitoring
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• Obtain real-time information
– USGS Gages
– NWS Flood warnings
– Rainfall forecasts
– Site specific info (instruments, observation)
• Simple hydrologic methods & mass balance
approaches
– Peak runoff (spillway capacity)
– Reservoir rise (available freeboard)
3) Monitoring
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Initial water surface
upon arrival at site
marked with tape
Makeshift Staff Gauge
3) Monitoring
In the
Impoundment
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4) Response
All-Purpose, Can’t Lose(1) Response:
Lower the Impoundment!
❑Open the Low-Level Outlet
❑Lower a CrestGate
❑Pull Stop Logs
❑Cut Flashboards
❑Pump
❑Siphon
(1) UNLESS…You need that water or the upstream
abutters get mad or you damage the structure or you
can’t get the gate closed again or you flood downstream…
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4) Response
Be prepared for
unwanted
attention!
❑ Have a Plan
❑ Know who is
responsible for
communications
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❑ Verify situation is stabilized
❑ Debrief Managers, Operators, Owner, Dam Safety
Staff, Emergency Management Personnel… What
happened? How did you fix it?
❑ Prepare written report with observations, data,
photos, recommendations …and give it to someone
❑ Continue Follow-ups Inspections
❑ Implement permanent remediations as needed
5) Post-Action Documentation
and Follow-Up
