1972- buffalo creek dam, west virginia-125 dead, $400 million in damages 1976- teton dam, idaho-14...

1972- Buffalo Creek Dam, West Virginia-125 dead, $400 million in damages 1976- Teton Dam, Idaho-14 dead, over $1 billion in damages

1977- Laurel Run Dam, Pennsylvania-40 dead, $5.3 million in damages 1977- Kelly Barnes Dam, Georgia-39 dead, $30 million in damages

1982- Lawn Lake Dam, Colorado-3 dead, $25 million in damages

1989- Quail Creek Dam, Utah-no deaths, $12 million in damages

We have had a bunch of Dam failures!

Hoover/Boulder DamCompleted 1936

For what purposes are dams constructed?

Provide a measure of flood control

Provide a source of water for towns and cities

Provide a source for generating electricity

Provide a recreation area

What is the “life expectancy” of a Dam/Reservoir?

Quail Creek Dam and Lake

Photo courtesy of Paul Furr (from our class).

Eroded Anticline

Quail Lake

Geologic map of the Quail CreekArea.

TrCp = Chinle Petrified Forest MemberTrCs = Chinle Shinarump Member

TrMu = Moenkopi UpperTrMs =Moenkopi Shnabkaib Member GYPSUMTrMm = Moenkopi Middle

TrMv = Virgin Limestone Member

TrMl = Moenkopi Lower

Pk = Kaibab Ls.Pt =Toroweap Ss.Pq =Queantoweap Ss.

Gypsum (CaSO4)(soft and dissolves

in water)

Earth fill Dam Completed 1984

Failure 12:30 am, January 1, 1989

Quail Creek Dam andReservoir

Geological Road Guide To Quail Creek State ParkUtahgeology.org

Utah Geological Publication #29