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After Hurricane Milton, LCWA staff describe interagency repairs and next steps for M‑1 dam
Summary
Lake County staff briefed trustees on emergency repairs to the M‑1 dam after Hurricane Milton, federal inspection and follow‑up modeling by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and plans for further monitoring, risk assessment and emergency action planning.
Justin Elkins, associate director of water resources, told trustees on Feb. 26, 2025, that Lake County’s post‑Hurricane Milton response to severe scouring at the M‑1 dam included emergency stabilization, federal assistance, and a presentation at a FEMA dam‑safety seminar to share lessons learned and interagency collaboration.
Elkins said the county requested federal assistance through the state emergency management mission‑request process, after which staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Jacksonville office assisted with repairs and inspected other county dam sites. “We shored that up and it’s basically fixed,” he said, describing repairs to M‑1. He added that the county had discharged more than 500 cubic feet per second through structures designed for about 300 cfs during the extended post‑storm period and that the high flows contributed to scouring.
The county was invited as a keynote speaker to FEMA’s National Dam Safety Program technical seminar because of its collaborative post‑Milton response. Elkins said the Army Corps produced a technical report identifying warranted repairs and that most structures “passed with flying colors” in the Corps’ inspection. The event also highlighted downstream‑hazard modeling, evacuation and infrastructure vulnerability issues in the event of dam failure.
Next steps described by Elkins include additional monitoring plans, geotechnical studies, hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling of downstream inundation, a reservoir management plan, and development of emergency action plans (EAPs). He said the county has a scheduled follow‑up meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers on March 17, 2025, to further develop monitoring and repair plans.
Trustees thanked staff for the federal coordination and presentation; staff emphasized interagency collaboration to share modeling, reduce costs and address downstream hazard creep caused by development since many dams were originally built decades ago.
