Tolna Dam being monitored

Valley City (AP)  Emergency managers Monday were continuing to monitor a hole in the spillway, at Tolna Dam, southeast of Tolna, that was found late last week.

Officials say water levels behind the Tolna Dam have dropped and has taken some of the pressure off the structure.

No evacuations or sheltering is required at this time.

The North Dakota Water Commission is planning to inspect the dam this week and discuss whether it should be repaired, replaced or removed.

Officials say Highway 15 is open from the junction of Highway 20 to Highway 1. The road had been temporarily closed on Friday.

Previously…

Valley City (CSi) Officials with the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services informed Emergency Managers downstream that there is a ‘hole” in the Tolna Dam southeast of Tolna, which holds approximately 2,000 acre feet of water.

State’s Attorney Jamie Tenneson says a hole has developed in the dam. He says the dam holds a relatively small amount of water and people living in about 10 to 12 farms downstream have been notified.

On Friday he North Dakota Department of Transportation and the North Dakota Highway Patrol  temporarily closed ND Highway 15 from the junction of ND Highway 20 to ND Highway 1.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineer spokesman Rich Schueneman told Barnes County Emergency Manager Kim Franklin on Friday that with the dry spring there is more than 3 feet of storage available on Lake Ashtabula right now.

Franklin says, the amount of water is equal to less than .25 of a foot of pool level at Lake Ashtabula.

Schueneman points out that there is enough time to let the water go through the system and there should be no significant affects to any of the communities downstream of Bald Hill Dam or residences living close to the Sheyenne River.

Bald Hill Dam pool level on Friday, March 13, 2015 was at 1262.5 which provides 3 feet of storage.

Outflows from the dam are minimal as they are below 2,000 cfs as the upstream and downstream runoff is low due to this last winter’s below average snow fall.

Engineers with the State Water Commission and Nelson County Highway Department are keeping an eye on a breach

Franklin says we are keeping in constant contact with state officials and will provide public updates when needed concerning this situation.

State Water Commission news Release,Friday Evening:

A five-foot hole has developed in the Tolna Dam spillway with water flowing through. The State Water Commission and local Emergency Managers from the Nelson County Water Resource District are closely monitoring the site.

“Public safety is our number one priority and at this time a breech has not occurred,” stated Bruce Engelhardt, Water Development Division Director at the State Water Commission. “If the dam should breech, the possible impacts along the Sheyenne River would be minor,” noted Engelhardt. “The reservoir behind the dam contains about 2,000 acre feet of water, while there is 16,000 acre feet of storage in Lake Astabula, so there is no risk to Baldhill Dam.”

The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) and the North Dakota Highway Patrol have temporarily closed ND Highway 15 from the junction of ND Highway 20 to ND Highway 1.

No evacuations or sheltering is necessary or anticipated at this time. The State Water Commission along with the North Dakota Department of Transportation and the Department of Emergency Services are working together to monitor all efforts and will continue to keep the public informed.