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Home My WebLink AboutFERC Statement Regarding Oroville Spillway and Letter 02-14-2017 .,r�/� t� y 0I u Wm February 14, 2017 Actirm Chairman I h" a n a' Dk,i kc,t NoP-2100 Statement of Acting Chairman Cheryl A. LaFleur on roille Dam Situation "The Commission has a team on site at the Oroville Dam spillway in California and is closely monitoring the situation. Cour top priority is the safety of residents and property downstream from the dam, and to that end we are working with the California Dept. of Water Resources (DWR), the licensee and operator of the project. In a lana t yesterday, we directed D R to initiate immediate design of emergency repair to minimize further degradation of both the emergency spillway and the service spillway. In addition, DWR is to convene ars Independent Board of Consultants to review current conditions, risk reduction measures, and proposed remedial options, and later perform a forensic analysis to determine both the cause of the spillway failure and whether it could occur again. However, the immediate focus of all involved remains on public safety, emergency repair, and reducing risk," F',w c, r.;cl v -/ "/zu -1UZjj 4unorticia-L) u2 Uj -,�UUb REGUL,ATORY CoTylMlSsION [-,'E )E1W., ENERGY , offjce of Energy Projects i)ivision of Darn safety and Inspections -Head 'J-uartrs 01Ice Iqrsj sti,ect, Nj-�-, Rou13 lashi► torr,DC. 20426 219-2731 Facsimile (202) 502-6025 Office- (202) February 13, 2017 In reply refer to: P-2100 Mr. William Croyle Acting Director California Department of Water Resources P.0, Box 942836 Sacramento., California, 94236-0001 Re: L�'mergency Repair and Board of Consultants -for Oroville Dain Spillway Dear Mr. Croyle. Major damage occurred to the Oroville Darn Ser-vicespillway during spillway loss operation on February 7, 2017. This event, and subsequent operations have led to the of a significant portion of the spillway chute, and has reduced amo aila1-1,going service Spillway operns may continue to spillway capacity at the project. 011 ws lead to additional damage to the service spillway, Additionally, due to igvler no, ndreduced service spillway capacitY, the ungated emergency spillway saw tOPPing '10'N` beginning on February 11, 2017, .for the first time whichresulted in excessthe ive egnitudrosion of threatening tile stability of the structure on February 1.2, 2017. De to mae this event and the potential for additional issues, we are requiring California r Depattillinlizenent o�f Water Resources (DDR) to initiate miniediate design of emergency repaito mi further degradation of both the emergency spill A,ay and the service spillway. In addition, DWR shall convene all independent Board of Consultants (BOC). The BOC shall review and assess the' I, Current measures being implemented at the prQject to pass inflows. 2. Current condition of the service, spillway and adjacent areas of the project. 3. Current condition and capability of the Emergency Spillway to safety pass flood flows. ly implemented and any additional risk 4. Risk reduction measures current reduction ineasures proposed. ZU1-1U�1.3-.3UUb YhRU BUY runorLiciai) uz/13/2u1 5Measures to keep the Powerl-iouse operable during the short-tern'i andlong- terni. 6. All proposed rear edial options for the service spillway. 7. All propo'sed remedial options for the emergency spillway. 8, Lora?-term, perry arient rnodifications and prqject operations. 9An.y additional infim-n-lation or analysis requested by the BOC In addition, f)WR shall perforITI as forensic analysis airned at deterfuining the caUSC, of the chute f-ailure and ascertaining il"the failure m.ode could occur warily. The forerisic analysis must be l',)erF6rn'iecl by a fully independent third party with no previous involvei,rient in assessing the spillwaY structure attliis proJect, The BOC shall also be tasked to review and comm.ent on this analysis. Effort rriust 1--)e fOCUsed on ernergency repair and risk reduction actions in the short terni. The l'orensic analysis can not be all(Aved to intertere with or detract ftorn the design of ernergency repair or proposed risk, i,-eduction actions, HmveN/er ttie forensic analysis rnUS1 be perfibruied. The BOC shall review andassess all aspects of the forensic analysis to include: I Review of the plan of action describing [he steps that, will be undertaken For the forensic analysis, to include an analysis ofthe root cause and contributing causes of the spillway dw,'nage, Pro ect operations, before, during and after, the event, 3, A thorough review of pro.ject documents, iuClUding the emergency action plans, Potential FailUl-e Mode Analyses, Part 12D Independent Consultant Inspection Reports and t1te SupportingTech nical Information Doctayients, Should be included in the analysis. This review should include an assessi-nent of how extreme flood flows are passed at Oroville Dam, 4, Any additional inforni�ation or analysis requested by the BOC, The BOC is lo consist of art least 5 members with experience that,covers ttie following enghleering disciplines, strtictural engineeririg (with specialization in concrete spilliva), struictures), spillway, hydraulics, engineering geology, geotechnical engineering, and civil engineering with extensive experience in darn design, construction and operation. By letter, a col)-y' of`each proposed Board meinber's resume is to be submitted to the Actlllg Directoi% Division of Dat'n Safety and Inspections (D S ) for review and approval, ard n gi- e - Nm copies SUbmitted tothe D2S1-Sacra Francisco Regiond 1".111 el. Due to the Ul L,)e11Q1 R) cora plete &ssessnient and nianage the current situation through the Spring, we win allow some nexibility ori the requirements that fiAlow, 'me operation of 2ui /u2i,3-,juu6 emxu PL)P- (unorriciai) U�/1.3/2U h I ..I each BOC will norinally beas fofloNvs: 1. There will be formal rriectings ofthe BOC schedu led to review the teclinicat areas the BOC is required to assess, 'rhe meetings ShOUld be seh.edtiled at iniportant rnilestones For the investigations and design and construction orrerricdiations. It is anticipated that the meetings will be attended by nierribers of the .1300 DWR, DWR"s, cnginecring consultaaFE,RC nts, nd . Z.1n The BOC should convene their first meeting as soon as possible to provide any polonti,al input into the '66rensic analysis, 1 At least two weeks prior to each130C .meeting, DWR shall provide to the distribUtion list below as data packagethat contains, a) An agenda for the meeting; b) A statement of the specific level of revlew the BOC is ex.pected to provide: c) A list of the items to be revieived and discussed with the B( C" d) Investigationsengineering analyses, reports, and design drawings arid specifications to be reviewed by the BOC:, and c) A discussion of significant events in the investigatiori that have occurred since the last BOC meeting" The data package, as, well as al] proJect related correspoi-idence, shOUld be distributed as Follows- a) One copto each BOC ineniber; Y I b) Three copies to theD2SI-San Fra sic isco Regional Engineer; and c) JI hree copies to the Acting Director, D12SI, 'Washington DC 3. At the end ofeacb BOC meeting, the 130C, shall verbally 1--)resent their C0nClUSi011S and recom.mendations and provide DW R as copy of the BOC meeting report. An electronic Copy ot.the report, should also be included. Within 15 days after each BOC ineeting, DWR 111LIStsubmit to the Acting Director, 2SI, and to the MSI-San Francisco Regional Engineer three cmpies of as plan and schodule to cornply with the BO 's reconirriendations or as statement identifying as plan to resolve any issue(s). In the event the BOUs recornmendalions are not, implorriented, dcLaik-.,d reasons for not doing so shOUld be prm,Jcled. We may require additional action aller we reviLn'v the above inforn-lation, 5sumniary of all [lie BOC's recommen,dations is to be maintained in arc periodic status report 1'61derl., indicating the BOC rej.')ort in wt-iich the reconinien da ti on was made, and including the current status and otitcorne ofeach recorrim end ation, 2-UI/UZI-3-3L)Qb YEKU YDY tunotriciai) U2/1-3/]ZUi7 - 4 - 6� The BOC shall remain in effect through the design and constrUCti011 of any required remedia.,Aion. 7The final BOC meeting is to be held one yezar after in-iple.,mentation of operational changes and completion of construction ofany required rernediation. The final BOC report shall assess the operation of the pr(�ject and if the pra:�jeet is perf1wining Lis inten,ded based on the engineering investigations, design report,, construction reports and fil StrUmentation perforrylarice. Within 45 days ofthe (late of the final BOC report, three copies are to be subinitted to the Acting Director, D2SI, and the MSI-San Francisco Regiotial Engineer. You ri-tus( submit resunies fol' 'YOUr proj)osed BOC rneixibers and your proposed forensic tearn, and as plari and schedule for the required. actions as soon as possible, but not lawr than 5 days of this letter. Please contact me with any questions. incera David E'.. Capk,,.a,, PE' Acting Director, Division of Dam Saflety and Inspections cc: Mr. Da.vid Panee Chief'- Dam Safbty Branch California Department of WaLer Resources P,0. Box 942836 1,416 Ninth Street, Room 604-9 Sacrarnento, CA 94236-0001 NIs. SharonTapia, Chief '[)ivision oFSafety of Dams California Department of Water Resources, 2200 X Street, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95818 zuivu2i3-,3uub i�"Exu Pub, (unorricia-L) u2./i3/2UI "/ DOCUMent Content (s) P-2100-OOO . 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