1. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
ASFPM
May 2010
James Demby – FEMA
Ed Beadenkopf - RAMPP
Jim Murphy - RAMPP

2. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
OVERVIEW
Objectives
Work Plan
Approach
Assessment
Pilot Studies
Schedule

3. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
Provide recommendations for a process a community can follow to effectively execute an economical and effective dam failure consequence assessment
OBJECTIVES
Work with stakeholders to conduct a pilot study to assess the potential consequences to a community from a dam failure
Evaluate the processes used in the pilot study to determine the lessons learned, capture the best practices, and provide recommendations on an assessment process

4. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
Out of the total life cycle of a dam study, we are focusing on the consequence assessment.

5. FEMA Dam Safety Task Orders
Two task orders were issued in Sept 2009
Dam Consequence/Assessment
Standardized Guidance for Dam Breach Modeling and Inundation Mapping

6. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
APPROACH
Select a representative dam/communities for the pilot studies
Coordinate with state and local stakeholders (e.g., decision makers, emergency managers, planners, first responders)
Support a community with the analysis of their vulnerability to dam failure through a collaborative process
Compile, analyze, and document the study results in a report that captures lessons learned, best practices, and recommendations for an assessment process

7. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
Impacts on human health and safety, special needs facilities, industrial areas, and Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR)
Economic and environmental impacts
Impact on local government capabilities and services
Indirect effects due to disruption and loss of function by key facilities, such as power supply and water
Impact on public confidence
Visualization of structures depth of flooding

8. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
IMPACTS TO BE EVALUATED
Direct Economic Impacts
Physical impacts
Immediate recovery costs
Debris removal
Regional and Indirect Economic Impacts
Indirect impacts (e.g., relocation, loss of business)
Induced Impacts (e.g., loss of critical infrastructure)
Social Impacts
Loss of Life
Psychological issues/stress related to hazard event
Public confidence issues
Environmental Impacts
Natural Resources
HTRW Concerns
Institutional Impacts
Governmental Services
Nongovernmental Services

9. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
SELECTION OF PILOT STUDY COMMUNITIES
Developed Action Plan to select and prioritize communities for pilot study
Evaluate key information about communities
Population at risk – potential loss of life (significant population size within 5-15 miles of dam)
Significant infrastructure impacts
Impacts to lifeline systems – impacts on first responders and emergency management assets, required systems and networks
Loss to function or performance of the dam/reservoir (e.g. loss of municipal water supply)
Environmental and Economic Impacts
Identified 12 communities as potential pilot studies

10. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
SELECTION OF PILOT STUDY COMMUNITIES
Communities below the Howard Hanson Dam in the State of Washington have been selected for the first pilot study
Unique opportunity for FEMA to work the USACE and DHS
Efforts are part of the Dam Sector Exercise Series 2010 (DSES-10)
Initial planning workshop held in April 2010
Recently received funding to conduct two additional pilot studies
One pilot study anticipated to be conducted in the Washington DC region
One pilot study anticipated to be conducted in North Carolina

11. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
SELECTION OF PILOT STUDY COMMUNITIES
Howard Hanson Dam
USACE owns and operated the dam
Safety concerns have forced the operation of the reservoir to remain at normal pool elevation, therefore no flood storage capabilities
To operate the dam to prevent catastrophic failure, increased releases may occur
Downstream communities will experience increased flooding because of the lack of floodwater retention at the dam
Impacted areas are heavily developed
Downstream communities very active in preparing for increased flooding and have been coordinating with each other and other agencies

12. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
SELECTION OF PILOT STUDY COMMUNITIES
Howard Hanson Dam (continued)
Currently being evaluated as part of the 2010 Dam Sector Exercise Series (DSES-10)
Opportunity to collaborate with DHS and USACE
Attended initial planning workshop in late April
Currently working with DHS and USACE to define FEMA’s role with DSES-10

13. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
2010 DAMS SECTOR EXERCISE SERIES – GREEN RIVER VALLEY (DSES-10)
Overall Purpose: Enhance regional preparedness and disaster resilience thru multi-jurisdictional discussion-based activities involving a wide array of public and private stakeholders.
DSES-10 Focus: Analysis of short- and long-term regional impacts created by a flooding scenario affecting a large portion of the Green River Valley.
Flooding scenario will serve as the triggering event to analyze impacts and interdependencies.
DSES-10 Goal: Develop a regional resilience strategy in collaboration with public and private stakeholders
Communities at Risk: Auburn, Kent, Renton, and Tukwila in King County, State of Washington.

14. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment

15. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment

16. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
INITIAL DSES PLANNING WORKSHOP
Date: Wed 28 April 2010 (Seattle, WA)
Total Participants: 150 (private & public sector)
Federal (55), State (20), County (10), City (29), Private Sector (26), NGOs (10)
Federal Agencies: BPA, DHS, FEMA (HQ and Region X), FERC, NOAA, NWS, USACE
State of Washington
King County
Cities of Auburn, Kent, Renton, Seattle and Tukwila
AT&T, Bank of America, Boeing, Chelan County PUD, Costco, Puget Sound Energy, Qwest, Safeway, among others

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18. Dam Hazard Consequences Assessment
REPORT OUTLINE
Hazard Identification - information that is required for conducting the consequence analysis, the type of information required as well as the agency, stakeholder, or source of this information
Risk and Vulnerability Assessment - methodologies and frameworks communities can use to identify assets (e.g., human, structural, governmental, economic, and environmental) that may be at risk
Consequence Assessment - provide methods for communities to assess the potential impacts and the extent of damages of a dam failure on their community
How to Apply the Results – what a community can do with the results