Why is the dam failing and why cant I see any cracks or other signs of failure?
A11. The origin of the problem is in the foundation below the earthen dam, thus, out of sight. Seepage caused by the water from the reservoir puts enormous pressure on the foundation. This pressure carries away soil through openings in the foundation rock and continually erodes away the earthen embankment. While we cant physically see this occurrence, we know it is happening through various scientific instruments embedded within the dam. We do not know the exact rate or the full extent of the erosion. While there are no cracks visible in the dam, settlement has been observed at Wolf Creek Dam on a small scale. The instrumentation mentioned above provides additional signs of failure as do visible signs such as wet spots that are inspected daily.
