The Trinity River Authority issued a “potential failure watch” for the dam after finding damage on the day the derecho hit.
LIVINGSTON, Texas — KHOU 11 News obtained a report that detailed why officials issued a “potential failure watch” for the Lake Livingston Dam.
It showed that on May 16, the day the deadly derecho storm hit Southeast Texas, the Trinity River Authority discovered a partial failure on the left wing of the dam — a wall that helps guide the flow of water downstream.
During inspections on June 26, they also found damage to the stilling basin, an area downstream of the dam that reduces the speed of water.
Crews were working at the dam on Friday to make sure it can safely handle releases in case of flooding.
The Trinity River Authority said it’s not sure when the repairs will be completed but they’re trying to get as much done as possible ahead of Beryl.
In the time that the rain stopped and the level of the lake was lowered, the damage to portions of the dam was exposed. Specifically, the damage included the partial failure of the left spillway training wall. Most of it is what the river authority called erosion.
“The damage to the project during this flood demonstrates that it cannot safely accommodate higher flows,” a report from the Energy Regulatory Commission’s Division of Dam Safety and Inspections said.
It instructed the managers of the dam to do the following:
- Expedite emergency repairs by mobilizing additional resources
- Stockpile materials and ensure equipment availability
- Enhance monitoring to detect new erosion
The Trinity River Authority said that while the dam is in no immediate danger of failure or breach, the current watch is still in place.
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