MOORE COUNTY, N.C. — Hundreds of North Carolina dam owners, including some dams that have nearly breached in the wake of recent flooding, failed to submit an emergency plan to the state by a deadline last year.
Gov. Pat McCrory has spent a significant amount of time focused on the Woodlake Dam in Moore County. Officials have said at times, a breech was ‘imminent’ and urged residents downstream to evacuate.
Channel 9 obtained state records in April showing the Woodlake Dam did not have an emergency action plan on file with the state despite a deadline at the end of 2015. It is categorized as a high-hazard dam that is in poor condition. High-hazard indicates that a failure poses a significant threat the human life and property.
Legislation required dam owners to submit an emergency action plan by Dec. 31, 2015. The plans are designed to help emergency officials and dam owners respond in a crisis.
The requirement applies to dams that are considered high-hazard or intermediate.
In the several Charlotte area counties, approximately 140 dam owners did not submit plans, as of April 3. Roughly half of dam owners statewide had submitted the plans by April, officials estimated.
In April, Department of Environmental Quality officials said they were not fining past-due dam owners. Instead, dam owners will get notice during regular inspections informing them of the need for an EAP.
"You may incur liability should your dam have a problem or fail, if such results in loss of life or property damage downstream," reads part of the notice.
Environmental officials said many owners have informed them that they are working on submitting the EAPs. In April, officials said they would plan to work with owners longer before considering fines or other penalties.
Eyewitness News requested updated numbers on Monday from the DEQ on EAP submissions. A spokesperson was not immediately able to provide that information.
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