Louisiana Has 41 High Hazard Dams – Where Are They?

(KMDL-FM) If you live in Louisiana, you have to be concerned about water. We are currently concerned about water because we haven't had much rain in the past three weeks. Most of the time, we worry about flooding because much of Louisiana is low-lying. In order to coexist with our topography, we have built dams to hold the water back. Unfortunately, not all of those dams are in good shape.

Now, this isn't a Louisiana-only problem. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers keeps tabs on some 90,000 dams and water control structures across the country. Many states, especially in the West, rely on dams to conserve water for the dry summer months. And usually dams don't make headlines, unless they break or are breached.

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In Louisiana, it is estimated that 12.1% of the state's population is currently at risk from a dam that is rated as "high hazard". In the words of government officials, a "high hazard dam" is a dam that, if it were to fail, would likely result in loss of human life and extensive property damage.

What Is a High-Hazard Dam?

Dams that have been recognized as "high hazard" are subject to strict oversight and monitoring. There must also be an EAP, an Emergency Action Plan, that is updated by those who own or operate those dams.

The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Louisiana has compiled a list of hazards, including high-hazard dams, in this report. However, it should make you feel a bit better that the current GOHSEP guidelines do not forecast any catastrophic dam failures in the next 25 years, as the probability of failure is listed at .01%

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Which Louisiana Parishes Are At the Highest Risk for a Dam Failure?

Bossier Parish is the parish that has the most to be worried about when it comes to high-hazard dams. According to a report on Stacker.com, Bossier Parish has eight different high-hazard dams.

The Parish with the second greatest concerns from unrestricted waterflow from a compromised dam is Bossier Parish's neighbor, Caddo Parish. Caddo Parish has four different dams on the high-hazard list.

Rapides Parish has three high-hazard dams, including one that has been designated as being in poor condition. Then comes Beauregard Parish with two different dams designated as high-hazard, and last on the Stacker.com list is Concordia Parish. That parish has one dam that is listed as high-hazard but has not officially been rated.