Maintaining Georgia's 357 flood control dams

Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission 4310 Lexington Road P.O. Box 8024
Athens Georgia 30603 Tel. 706-552-4470 Email gswcc gaswcc.org
http //gaswcc.georgia.gov
Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission State Board Garland Thompson (Chairman) Douglas Ga.
Dennis T. Brown (Vice Chairman/NACD Representative) Commerce Ga.
Carl E. Brack Carrollton Ga.
David T. Hays Covington Ga.
William H. "Hal" Haddock Jr. Damascus Ga.
GSWCC Executive Staff Brent Dykes (Executive Director) Athens Ga. Email bdykes gaswcc.org
Dave Eigenberg (Deputy Executive Director) Dawson Ga. Email deigenberg gaswcc.org
Georgia Association of Conservation District Supervisors Danny Hogan (President) Central Georgia SWCD
Dan Bennett (Vice President) Walton County SWCD
Martin McLendon (Secretary-Treasurer) Flint River SWCD

Map of flood control dams in Georgia
The Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission (GSWCC) was formed to support
Georgia s 40 Soil and Water Conservation Districts that assist landowners in protecting and
developing their soil and water resources. Soil and Water Conservation Districts sponsor flood control dams in Georgia but many people are not aware that they are living either upstream
or downstream from a dam. Often the dams existed before homes roads and bridges were built to meet population increases. To assist GSWCC has posted a listing (by county) of the state s flood control dams which can be found at
http //www.gaswcc.org/wsd-search.php

Maintaining Georgia s 357 Flood Control
Dams
Georgia Soil and Water Conservation
Commission

Georgia has 357 flood control dams. While these dams were built for agricultural flood control many of these dams now protect buildings roads bridges farms businesses and families that are located downstream as a result
of Georgia s rapid urban growth.
State safety experts believe that more than 40 percent of Georgia s flood control dams would
result in probable loss of human life if they suddenly released their water due to improper
operation or dam failure.
The average flood control dam in Georgia is more than 50 years old and the average cost to rehabilitate a dam is more than $1.5 million. Without more flexible and innovative means of funding it will take Georgia more than 175
years to complete rehabilitation of its dams.
Soil and Water Conservation Districts have no guaranteed funding source to maintain their dams and unlike hydroelectric dams flood
control dams do not generate revenue.
Providing federal funds helps but in the past dam sponsors have been unable to take advantage of matching NRCS funding because sponsors lack funds to match federal dollars for assessment and rehabilitation. State funding priorities and local issues must be considered
when federal funds are allocated.
Greatest needs in Georgia are Funding to conduct current assessments of
all flood control dams in Georgia. Funding to rehab high priority dams. Allowing use of state engineering standards
for federally-funded dam rehabilitation.

Georgia s Flood Control Dams By the Numbers
357 flood control dams in Georgia protect
roads bridges homes businesses farms and people
$24 million in annual benefits are provided
by flood control dams in Georgia according to USDA-NRCS
19 of Georgia s 40 Soil and Water
Conservation Districts sponsor flood control dams
32 Georgia counties contain flood control
dams
150 flood control dams in Georgia are
classified as Category I by the State of Georgia where improper operation or dam failure could result in probable loss of human life
15 Category I flood control dams have
undergone rehabilitation
135 Category I flood control dams are in need
of rehabilitation
1953 is the completion year of the oldest flood
control dams in Georgia
$7.5 million in federal funding is required
to rehabilitate the four highest priority flood control dams in Georgia