NRCS SE Kentucky Dam Assessments

This joint venture between Aterra and Schnabel involved the assessment of five NRCS dams across Kentucky, including three dams in the Salt Lick Creek watershed, one dam in the West Fork Clarks River watershed, and one dam in the West Fork Mayfield Creek watershed.

The project’s evaluation of existing conditions included dam safety inspections, spillway capacity analyses, auxiliary spillway stability and integrity analyses, the development of dam breach inundation maps to verify dam hazard classification, and the review of existing geotechnical investigation, analyses, and design reports. All assessments were performed in accordance with NRCS and KY Dam Safety requirements. Results of existing conditions evaluations were used to develop various alternatives to rehabilitate or upgrade the dams to meet NRCS and KY Dam Safety standards. Preliminary cost estimates were developed for each of the alternatives. The team generated a detailed assessment report for each dam, presenting the results of the existing conditions evaluation, dam rehabilitation alternatives evaluation, and associated conclusions and recommendations. The assessment reports were approved with only minor comments from the NRCS.