CS16C - Concurrent Session 16C: Picking Up the Pieces - The Failure of Walter Bouldin Dam, Its Aftermath, and the Lessons Learned by Alabama Power and FERC

Abstract Description: In the dark of night on February 10, 1975, Alabama Power Company’s Walter Bouldin Dam breached, releasing a wave of water downstream. While the failure fortunately resulted in no loss of human life and very limited property damage downstream, the incident triggered years of investigation and evaluation of the dam’s design and vulnerabilities, practices by Alabama Power Company staff, and dam safety regulation by the FERC. The humbling look inward into these aspects led to a number of improvements for the reconstructed dam, the licensee’s program, and the regulator’s approach moving forward. These improvements remain valid for dam owners even 50 years after the failure incident.

Part I will provide historical background into the original design and construction, incidents prior and up to failure, and the post-failure investigation. Part II will provide discussions on the enhanced defensive measures that were incorporated into the design of the reconstructed dam and how the incident (and its precursors) has shaped the Alabama Power dam safety program and FERC regulation since.