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University Lake Dam and Recent Flooding of Morgan Creek
A perspective from Todd Taylor
As OWASA works alongside our local government counterparts to repair damage caused by Tropical Depression Chantal, we are struck by the devastation our community has experienced. Our residents and businesses are shocked and uncertain, not only about the future of their homes and businesses, but also about how waters rose so fast—and if, and when, it could happen again.
In their search for answers, we have received questions from some community members about water levels in Morgan Creek and OWASA’s operation of the University Lake dam. The University Lake dam, built in 1932 and owned by the University of North Carolina, is not a flood control dam and therefore does not have the capability to adjust downstream flow in Morgan Creek. Once full, the water that flows into University Lake simply overtops the dam structure and continues downstream.
Unlike the dam at Jordan Lake, for example, University Lake Dam has a very basic construction—flashboards (steel walls that were installed to increase the volume of water impounded in the lake) on top of a concrete wall on the eastern side of the lake, and an earthen berm that makes up the rest of the dam structure. Whereas reservoirs like Jordan Lake are able to release water downstream through flood gates, University Lake has no such mechanism. When the reservoir is full, water comes right up to the top of the flashboards. Any excess water then spills over the flashboards and continues its journey downstream.
OWASA monitors the level of the water overtopping the flashboards diligently throughout storm events. Our staff were onsite all night during Tropical Depression Chantal.
Fortunately, OWASA and Orange County Emergency Services have strict and detailed protocols in place for situations like this. When overtopping reaches a level that threatens the integrity of the dam, OWASA immediately notifies Orange County Emergency Services to begin evacuation operations. Thankfully, during Chantal, the waters receded before this notification was needed.
Since the storm, we have inspected and assessed the damage University Lake dam may have sustained and, thankfully, it was found to be in good condition.
We hope we never see this kind of flooding again in our lifetimes. Still, OWASA remains prepared for the worst. If we face this kind of adversity again, rest assured that we will be hard at work ensuring the health and safety of the community we serve while doing all we can to deliver the services you need.
In Partnership,
Executive Director of OWASA Todd Taylor
“Viewpoints” on Chapelboro is a recurring series of community-submitted opinion columns. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work or reporting of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com.
