To the editor:

Back in 2009, Northbrook Carolina Hydro, LLC’s hired engineer groups of HDR/DTA and AECOM concluded that repairs/improvements to the Turner Shoals Dam would not exceed $2 million over the next 10 years for Polk County, purchasing the property- a precondition of the sale.

Polk County then hired their own Black&Veatch engineers to vet these estimates only to hear dam repairs/upgrades/modifications were realistically going to cost between $2.5-3.5 million due to Northbrook’s engineers neglecting to include contingency fees, design/construction/management costs.

Polk decided to waive this precondition, relieving Northbrook of it and went on to pay $1.6 million for the dam and lake, leased back the hydro-shop for $1.00 per year for 40 years, and allowed Northbrook to keep collecting all annual dock/boat fees for 40 years (equals $1 million). Polk County stated to the public they were “committed to maintaining the dam” at that higher estimate and began a dam repair fund of $200,000 annually.

The study cost taxpayers $9,132 and the dam insurance costs, paid by the taxpayers, are to date $81,417 annually for liability of $5.4 million.

By 2013, no repairs had been done, dam repair fund is reduced to down to $100,000 per year, DENR-Dam Safety Div. has listed the 90-year-old Turner Shoals Dam as ‘High Hazard’ and requires Polk County to address the deterioration of penstocks, intake structures, arches, bulkheads and seepage of concrete noted during their visual inspection.

Further Polk is told to “fulfill their obligations to safely maintain and operate dam” and warned about “incurring liability should dam fail, resulting in loss of life or property damage downstream.”

In 2014, Polk taxpayers pay AECOM engineers, total of $54,377 to present their (DENR prompted) Special Dam Safety Inspection Report at BOC meeting; condition of dam is misrepresented from ‘Fair’ to ‘Good,’ deterioration-seepage minimized and short-term repairs estimates are $10,000-20,000! Amazing! Our dam is like wine, it improves with age! BOC votes to defund dam repairs to $50,000 a year!

DENR-Dam Safety folk’s red flags go up and months later at BOC/public meeting, county engineer delivers a revised repair time schedule complete with costs but fails to submit this to DENR.

It is now 2015. Polk has owned this 90-year-old end-of-service-life dam, at risk for failure, condition ‘fair’ which equals grade “D” by American Society of Civil Engineers for six years now and has cost taxpayers $63,509.73 in studies and $18,000 for superficial/menial repairs. Taxpayers continue to pay the liability insurance of $81,417 annually and according to terms of pending water contract with ICWD, will continue regardless of repair decisions determined by them.

It’s ironic that Black&Veatch, who once advised Polk to secure/purchase/invest in repair of this dam and reservoir infrastructure back in 2009, declaring it was a “bargain” and wise to plan for the future water supply, will now advise ICWD (water contract) that it will be worth their while to take it over and away from Polk?

Note to self: Dam engineer companies work for their employers and Polk wouldn’t be in this mess had they taken care of their own valuable stuff, all along.

Sky Conard
Lake Adger, N.C.