‘What we do here matters’: Smithville Lake conducts vital periodic inspection of dam to ensure safety

It’s not every day that the stilling basin at Smithville Dam sits empty. However, before an inspection of the structure can be completed, it must be emptied so that staff from the lake and the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can enter and perform their inspection.

Periodic inspections occur every five years to ensure the safety and integrity of the dam. Staff from the Kansas City District emptied Smithville Dam’s stilling basin and performed a thorough inspection over the course of several days in April.

Dam inspections are performed as part of USACE’s Dam Safety Program, which uses a risk-informed approach to manage its dams. The Dam Safety Program aims to ensure USACE owned and operated dams do not present unacceptable risks to people, property or the environment, with life safety as the top priority.

Prior to the inspection, staff from the Kansas City District met to discuss the inspection and safety procedures. Allen Chestnut, dam safety program manager with the Kansas City District, spoke to the group about the importance of periodic dam inspections.

“Every time I drive up here, I drive through downtown Smithville and see that 1965 flood mark up on the top of the first story of that building,” said Chestnut. “So just know that’s why we are here, that’s what the dam is here for—to prevent flood damage downstream. What we do here matters.”

The Kansas City District will use observations from the periodic inspection to implement short- and long-term actions on a prioritized basis if unacceptable risks are found at Smithville Dam. The most recent risk assessment for Smithville Dam rated the dam as low risk.

For more information about the Kansas City District’s Dam Safety Program, visit Kansas City District > Missions > Civil Works > Dam Safety Program (army.mil).