Seismic Evaluation and Rehabilitation of the Lake Petit Dam
One of the highest dams in Georgia is a compacted earth structure that serves as a water supply source and supports recreational activities for the Big Canoe residential community in North Georgia. During a routine dam safety inspection by the Georgia Safe Dams Program (GSDP), potentially excessive seepage was reported near the toe of the dam. A resulting detailed evaluation of the existing site conditions led to the development (by others) of a rehabilitation program involving the construction of a large toe buttress to minimize the adverse impacts of the seepage and to provide the requisite calculated factor of safety regarding static and seismic slope stability. The goal of the dam owners (Big Canoe Property Owners Association) was to evaluate alternatives to the toe buttress remedy that could achieve the required factor of safety and be more cost-effective and less environmentally intrusive. Geosyntec was retained by the dam owners to perform an independent third party review of the recommended remedy and assist in the identification of alternatives.
