Devastating flooding in North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence has raised concerns about whether dams across the state, some of them already in poor condition, will be able to hold up under the strain.
State officials have been monitoring dam safety in cooperation with local authorities and say there has been at least one dam breach so far, with no homes affected. But there have been several other locations of concern and false alarms about dam failures that have caused panic.
According to data submitted to the National Inventory of Dams for this year's deadline and obtained by The Associated Press, the state has 1,445 dams rated high hazard out of about 5,700 dams total, ranging from large federally owned ones to small private ones. That hazard classification does not indicate the likelihood of failure — just that any failure would be likely to cause the loss of one or more human lives.
Of those high-hazard dams, 185 had conditions of poor or unsatisfactory during recent inspections, the data show. And many of those dams were in areas that have been inundated with water.
Ahead of the storm, workers with North Carolina's Dam Safety Program identified vulnerable structures, contacted dam owners and operators to call attention to the threat and asked them to consider lowering impoundment water levels to temporarily increase storage capacity prior, Bridget Munger, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Quality said.
Dam safety personnel have also been deployed to the state Emergency Operations Center since before the storm, Munger added.
State Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry said Monday that there had been one dam breach in Brunswick County. He said no homes were affected in the inundation area.
On Sunday night, an Associated Press reporter was with a U.S. Army swift-water rescue team in Fayetteville when a call came over the radio about a dam failure in Pinehurst, which turned out to be a false alarm. Then another call came in reporting another dam breach.
Soldiers who had been resting on cots starting donning boots, helmets and life vests, and a team deployed toward a nearby fire department. About halfway there, the call was canceled — another false alarm.
A Facebook post claiming a dam in Hope Mills, a suburb of Fayetteville, had failed caused trouble there Sunday night, Mayor Jackie Warner said.
"It created a panic because people thought the dam had broken, and they didn't know which way the water would go," she said. Residents started calling asking if they needed to leave their homes, she said.
The dam held up just fine.
Rumors also spread Sunday night in nearby Hoke County about a dam break. Mandatory evacuations were ordered because of flooding at a lake, but the dam wasn't breached, emergency management coordinator Andrew Jacobs said. The evacuation order was lifted Monday afternoon.
In McLaughlin Lakes, a subdivision immediately next to the lake, most declined to evacuate.
"It was an overreaction, don't you think?" Jeff Konopka asked his neighbors.
"Very much so," said Kim Santiago, who has lived beside the lake for 24 years and has seen the dam overflow in numerous storms.
Two of North Carolina's high-hazard dams are at Duke Energy's Weatherspoon Plant in Robeson County, an area that has been swamped with water.
One is at a cooling pond and the other at a coal ash pond. The dam at the coal ash pond was found to be in poor condition during an inspection last year, according to the data.
Both structures were performing well and no problems were expected, Duke spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said Monday.
Catastrophic dam failures are infrequent, and age is a leading indicator of dam failure, with the exception of seismic or weather events, a 2008 Congressional Research Service report found.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave a "D'' grade to the state of the country's dams in a 2017 report, noting the average age of the dams is 56 years old. The ASCE estimated there are more than 2,000 "deficient high-hazard" dams lacking investment in repairs and upgrades.
Mark Ogden, a technical specialist with the Association of State Dam Safety Officials, said states have made significant strides in improving dam safety in recent years. But he said rising numbers of people living downstream of old dams, new dam safety technologies and other factors mean lots of upgrades are needed.
"In general, dam safety has improved tremendously over the years but there's still a long way to go," Ogden said.
OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2024--
As May marks Vision Health Month, the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) releases a digital national campaign to raise public awareness about eye health and vision care, encouraging Canadians to get their eyes checked. Several provincial associations of optometrists ( New Brunswick Association of Optometrists, Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Optometrists, Nova Scotia Association of Optometrists, and The Prince Edward Island Association of Optometrists ) and sponsors from the industry - Alcon, CooperVision, and Sun Pharma - joined and supported this campaign.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240501239056/en/
Urgent need for public education about eye health and vision care
8+ million Canadians are at risk of eye-threatening conditions, yet 75% of vision loss can be treated or prevented if diagnosed early. Despite Canadians highly valuing their eyesight and fearing its loss, there is a prevalent lack of awareness regarding the necessity of regular, comprehensive eye exams. Many individuals often overlook the importance of thorough examinations for early detection.
A 2022 survey 1 revealed a telling statistic: 37% of respondents who had not seen an eye care professional in over two years did so because they believed there was nothing wrong with their vision. Additionally, the survey found that men in Canada are less likely than women to prioritize eye health.
With those statistics in mind, the CAO released a new digital campaign to raise public awareness about eye health and vision through a simple yet potent message: “GetEyeWise!”
“Many serious eye conditions do not present obvious symptoms initially. Waiting for symptoms to appear can expose individuals to significant risks, particularly within an aging population, those engaging in increased near-work, and amidst a myopia epidemic among children. Integrating eye care into the healthcare routines of all age groups, from toddlers to seniors, is crucial, ” says Dr. Martin Spiro, President of the Canadian Association of Optometrists.
Think of an eye exam as a physical for your eyes…and more
A comprehensive eye examination is the best tool for the early detection of eye disease and several systemic diseases. It is based on the premise that structural change in the eye (often at the microscopic level) manifests itself well before any functional changes and vision loss occur.
Optometrists diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and disorders affecting the visual system (the eye and related structures).
They also assist in identifying general health conditions like stroke, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, some cancers, brain injuries, and neurological conditions that are often first detected through a comprehensive eye exam. They provide referrals to specialists and can help manage post-eye-surgery health. From infants to seniors, optometrists provide care to help maintain good vision, eye health and quality of life.
The Canadian Association of Optometrists developed evidence-based guidelines for Recommended Frequency of the Comprehensive Eye Examination and calls on all Canadians to “GetEyeWise.”
“If grownups think their eyes are fine…then why are they always doing things like this?”
The national campaign features children mimicking adults’ faces in daily situations to encourage everyone to “GetEyeWise” and book an appointment with an optometrist. It will run throughout May on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify in both official languages.
“Together with the Canadian Association of Optometrists, we are dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of regular eye exams and to helping people see brilliantly,” said Vanessa Johari Hansen, Country Business Unit Head, Vision Care, at Alcon Canada. “Too often, eye exams are neglected, but through our partnership, we're determined to enhance vision and improve eye health, recognizing their vital role in overall well-being."
To find more about the CAO campaign, please visit: https://opto.ca/geteyewise
About the Canadian Association of Optometrists
The Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) is the national voice of optometry and is dedicated to providing leadership and support to its 8,300+ members to enhance the delivery of healthy eyes and clear vision for all Canadians. For more information, visit www.opto.ca
About Alcon
Alcon helps people see brilliantly. As the global leader in eye care with a heritage spanning over 75 years, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to enhance sight and improve people’s lives. Our Surgical and Vision Care products touch the lives of more than 260 million people in over 140 countries each year living with conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors. Our more than 25,000 associates are enhancing the quality of life through innovative products, partnerships with Eye Care Professionals and programs that advance access to quality eye care. Learn more at www.alcon.ca
About CooperVision
CooperVision, a division of CooperCompanies (NYSE:COO), is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of contact lenses. The company produces a full array of daily disposable, two-week and monthly soft contact lenses that feature advanced materials and optics, and premium rigid gas permeable lenses for orthokeratology and scleral designs. CooperVision has a strong heritage of addressing the toughest vision challenges such as astigmatism, presbyopia, childhood myopia, and highly irregular corneas; and offers the most complete portfolio of spherical, toric and multifocal products available. Through a combination of innovative products and focused practitioner support, the company brings a refreshing perspective to the marketplace, creating real advantages for customers and wearers. For more information, visit https://coopervision.ca
About Sun Pharma
Sun Pharma entered the Canadian market in 2015 with the purchase of Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, a Top 10 generic company in Canada since 2005. Sun Pharma is a world leader in branded and generic drugs and we are now well positioned to be an even larger contributor to the Canadian healthcare landscape.
With global manufacturing across six continents, we are investing in Canada by bringing high quality, affordable and innovative medicines to market. Our global strength in R&D with an unwavering commitment to quality ensures Sun Pharma will offer a wide range of affordable medicines for Canadians.
Taro Pharmaceuticals is the exclusive distributor of our specialty and generic products in Canada.
We feel the strength of our global Sun Pharma capabilities together with Taro Pharmaceutical’s 30-year commitment to Canadian manufacturing and distribution creates a unique pharmaceutical partner for our Canadian customers. It is our continued goal to provide our customers and partners with high quality products and exceptional customer service.
We look forward to many more years of providing Canadians with high quality and affordable medicines. To learn more, visit: https://sunpharma.com/canada-branded-products/
The Canadian Association of Optometrists Releases a New “GetEyeWise” Digital Campaign to Bring Awareness About Eye Health and Vision Care
