Important things to remember about Blakely Mountain Dam

• The original design of Blakely Mountain Dam incorporated controlled seepage through the dam structure, but did not provide for seepage quantity measurement.
• The dam is thoroughly inspected every 5 years.  During the last five year inspection, conducted in 2005, the inspection team determined a need to measure the seepage at Blakely Mtn Dam.
• A review of archive pictures after the 2005 inspection revealed that a layer of filter material included in the original design was not included in the construction drawings and was not built into the structure.  That layer of material is designed to allow water to seep, without moving materials from the dam.
• Monitoring the seepage and comparing it against design parameters is another way to ensure public safety.  In order to accomplish this, a weir will be placed downstream of Blakely so the seepage can be collected and measured.  The request to drawdown Lake Hamilton is to enable the construction of the seepage monitoring weir. 
• The safety of the public is our highest priority.  The Dam Safety Program is the means by which we verify that our dams are continuing to perform in a safe manner.
• The Blakely Mountain Dam is staffed seven days a week by project operations staff.  Project staff inspects the dam regularly during normal operating conditions, and more frequently at high pool levels.  Engineers inspect the dams annually, with more intensive team inspections every five years through the Dam Safety Program. 
• The dam has operated well for 50 years.  It is designed to last for generations and proper maintenance and monitoring is essential to ensure that lifespan.
• The Corps of Engineers owns and operates 610 dams across the country.  We have never lost a dam and intend to keep that record intact.