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Bagnell Dam exercise tests reactions of local authorities, utility and Corps of Engineers
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By Ra'Vae Edwards redwards@newstribune.com
TUSCUMBIA, Mo. - It was shortly after 9 p.m. on the Fourth of July when the first emergency call came in to the Miller County 911 Center. A motorist said he just witnessed an explosion on Bagnell Dam and he was seeing a lot of smoke and was sure many people were dead.
The organized chaos was part of a simulation last week with AmerenUE and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' dam failure exercise.
“We thought the exercise was a huge success,” said Bill Empson, the Corps' Kansas City-based Civil Works Projects Management chief.
“It gave us a lot of opportunity to develop relationships with Ameren, both locally and with some of our Kansas City people.”
Alan Sullivan, an AmerenUE consulting engineer at Bagnell Dam, said following the drill: “The key was, we wanted it to be a learning exercise, so we made it difficult enough that we would learn some things.”
The Miller County Emergency Operation Center (EOC) was set up in the courthouse with participants from several entities on hand to assist as the simulation unfolded.
The scene was set: July 4, after dark, high lake levels with rain in the forecast. Several boaters were on the water preparing to watch the holiday fireworks when the explosion occurred.
As information started to pour in, it became evident the explosion was part of a terrorist attack on Bagnell Dam and Truman Dam. Information through a simulated press release from the FBI indicated 50 pounds of C4, an explosive material, was missing from the army base in Fort Leonard Wood. The materials were used for the simulated explosions at both locations, causing serious damage to both structures.
“It has been confirmed there is structural damage at Truman Dam and a lot of water is coming our way,” said Michael Arnold, director of the Miller County 911 Center.
As water from Truman Dam was headed to the Lake area, levels were expected to rise several feet in a matter of hours. It was expected that Bagnell Dam would be under water in less than 24 hours.
A state of emergency was issued, the National Weather Service issued a Dam Failure Warning and residents in Miller and Osage counties were ordered to evacuate immediately.
Command centers were set up throughout the county, emergency shelters were set up by the Red Cross and local fire, ambulance and law enforcement were taking action evacuating residents and dealing with traffic issues.
Barlow Biggers, Miller County emergency management director, handled the operation smoothly using information already set in place through the county's current Emergency Operation Plan.
Representatives from various entities assisted in setting operations in place and accessing resources from the county and state.
Biggers said he thought the exercise simulation was successful and things went as smoothly as can be expected.
Empson said one main lesson from Wednesday's drill was a need to improve communications.
Sullivan said the drill helped Ameren learn more about communicating and coordinating both upstream and downstream.
Empson and Sullivan both gave Thursday's exercise a B+ grade.
The organized chaos was part of a simulation last week with AmerenUE and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' dam failure exercise.
“We thought the exercise was a huge success,” said Bill Empson, the Corps' Kansas City-based Civil Works Projects Management chief.
“It gave us a lot of opportunity to develop relationships with Ameren, both locally and with some of our Kansas City people.”
Alan Sullivan, an AmerenUE consulting engineer at Bagnell Dam, said following the drill: “The key was, we wanted it to be a learning exercise, so we made it difficult enough that we would learn some things.”
The Miller County Emergency Operation Center (EOC) was set up in the courthouse with participants from several entities on hand to assist as the simulation unfolded.
The scene was set: July 4, after dark, high lake levels with rain in the forecast. Several boaters were on the water preparing to watch the holiday fireworks when the explosion occurred.
As information started to pour in, it became evident the explosion was part of a terrorist attack on Bagnell Dam and Truman Dam. Information through a simulated press release from the FBI indicated 50 pounds of C4, an explosive material, was missing from the army base in Fort Leonard Wood. The materials were used for the simulated explosions at both locations, causing serious damage to both structures.
“It has been confirmed there is structural damage at Truman Dam and a lot of water is coming our way,” said Michael Arnold, director of the Miller County 911 Center.
As water from Truman Dam was headed to the Lake area, levels were expected to rise several feet in a matter of hours. It was expected that Bagnell Dam would be under water in less than 24 hours.
A state of emergency was issued, the National Weather Service issued a Dam Failure Warning and residents in Miller and Osage counties were ordered to evacuate immediately.
Command centers were set up throughout the county, emergency shelters were set up by the Red Cross and local fire, ambulance and law enforcement were taking action evacuating residents and dealing with traffic issues.
Barlow Biggers, Miller County emergency management director, handled the operation smoothly using information already set in place through the county's current Emergency Operation Plan.
Representatives from various entities assisted in setting operations in place and accessing resources from the county and state.
Biggers said he thought the exercise simulation was successful and things went as smoothly as can be expected.
Empson said one main lesson from Wednesday's drill was a need to improve communications.
Sullivan said the drill helped Ameren learn more about communicating and coordinating both upstream and downstream.
Empson and Sullivan both gave Thursday's exercise a B+ grade.
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