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`Wyman Project
`FERC No. 2329-ME
`
`
`March 1, 2019
`
`
`
`
`Mr. David Capka, P.E., Director
`Division of Dam Safety and Inspections
`Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
`Office of Energy Projects
`888 First Street, N.E., Room 6N-01
`Washington, D.C. 20426
`
`Via eFiling and Hard Copy
`
`Subject: Wyman Project, FERC No. 2329-ME; NATDAM #ME-00089;
`Request for Approval of Part 12 Independent Consultant
`
`Dear Mr. Capka:
`
`Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC (BWPH), licensee for the Wyman Project (FERC No. 2329-ME)
`requests the Commission’s approval for Dr. R. Craig Findlay, Ph. D., P.E., G.E. of Findlay Engineering
`(FEI) to serve as the Independent Consultant for the 11th Part 12 Dam Safety Inspection of the Wyman
`Project in 2019.
`
`As requested by the Commission’s January 9, 2019 letter, three copies of this letter and Dr. Findlay’s
`resume are enclosed. The fourth copy will be sent to the Commission’s New York Regional Office.
`
`If you have any questions or comments please contact:
`
`Stephen Hofacker, P.E. at 207-343-3213 or stephen.hofacker@brookfieldrenewable.com or
`Chris Karam, P.E. at 207-755-5632 or chris.karam@brookfieldrenewable.com
`
`Sincerely,
`
`
`
`Kelly Maloney
`Manager, Compliance – Northeast
`
`Attachment
`
`Cc:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`N. Stevens, J. Seyfried, C. Karam, S. Hofacker, S. Michaud, J. Rancourt, D. Watson; BWPH
`
`C. Findlay; FEI
`
`J. Spain, H. Kamara; FERC-NYRO
`
`BWPH File: 2329|01
`
`

`

` R
`
` Craig Findlay, Ph.D., P.E., G.E.
`Phone:
` 207-846-1465
`Fax:
` 207-846-3434
`Email:
` cfindlay@findlayengineering.com
`Web Page: www.findlayengineering.com
`
`
`Education
`- B.S., Civil Engineering, 1976,
`University of New Hampshire
`- M.S., Civil Engineering, 1981,
`University of New Hampshire
`- Ph.D., Engineering, 1991,
`University of New Hampshire
`
`70 OLD FIELD ROAD, YARMOUTH, ME 04096
`
`
`Professional Affiliations
`- Member, American Society of Civil Engineers
`- Life Member, US Society for Dams (USSD)
`- Member, Association of Dams Safety Officials
`(ASDSO)
` - Affiliate Member Advisory Committee, Asso-
`ciation of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO)
`- Co-Editor, ASDSO Journal of Dam Safety
`- Current Member, ASCE Task Committee on
`Guidelines for Instrumentation and Measurements
`for Monitoring Dam Performance.
`- Past Member, Subcommittee on Guidelines, Inter-
`agency Committee on Dam Safety (ICODS).
`
`Independent Consultant and Principal, Findlay Engineering, Inc.
`Director of Geotechnical Engineering, Duke Engineering & Services, Inc. (formerly
`Northrop, Devine & Tarbell, Inc.)
`Manager of Geotechnical, Civil and Solid Waste Engineering, ABB- Environmental
`Services (during completion of Ph.D. Dissertation)
`Principal Engineer, Findlay Geotechnical Consulting, Inc. (geotechnical engineering
`consultant during Ph.D. research)
`Senior Geotechnical Engineer, E. C. Jordan Company and Jordan Gorrill Associates, Inc.
`Assistant Roadway Foundation Engineer, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
`
`
`Professional Licensing/Registration
`- Professional Civil Engineer: Alabama, California,
`Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New
`Hampshire, New York, South Carolina, Oregon,
`Vermont, Washington, Wyoming.
`- Professional Geotechnical Engineer: California
`- Current NCEES Record.
`
`Employment History
`1998 to Present:
`1991 to 1998:
`
`
`
`
`1990 to 1991:
`
`
`
`
`1988 to 1991:
`
`
`
`
`1981 to 1988:
`
`1977 to 1981:
`
`
`Summary of Experience
`Dr. Findlay's 40 years in the dam safety, water resources and geotechnical engineering profession includes a broad
`variety of consulting and project engineering experience, more than 33 years of which have included involvement
`with dams and hydroelectric projects. He has served as technical lead or lead geotechnical engineer on hundreds of
`dam related projects, and serves on ongoing and past Boards of Consultants and Review Panels. Dr. Findlay has
`worked on several hydroelectric greenfield design and remediation projects which have given him broad experience
`with water resources projects including earth dam and embankment design and instrumentation; powerhouse,
`spillway and headworks foundations; stability, liquefaction and deformation analysis; seepage and piping
`assessments; finite element analysis of stresses in embankments, gravity dams, arch dams and radial gates; finite
`element analysis of earthquake response of embankments, gravity dams, and arch dams; unlined canal design; water
`retaining structure remediations; cement-bentonite cutoffs and slurry walls; grouting; anchor design; and dam safety
`inspections. Dr. Findlay has been an Independent Consultant on over 250 FERC Part 12 and other dam inspections,
`and/or a Potential Failure Modes Analysis Facilitator for clients including AER-NY Gen, LLC, Alabama Power,
`Algonquin Power, AEP, Avista Corporation, Brookfield Renewable Power, California Department of Water
`Resources, Central Nebraska PPID, Central Vermont Public Service, City of Danville Virginia, Duke Power, Eagle
`Creek, Entergy, EGE Fortuna, SA (Panama), Eugene Power & Electric Board, Florida Power & Light, Georgia
`Power, Green Mountain Power, Henwood Energy Services, Inc., Idaho Power Company, Louisiana Hydroelectric,
`Manitoba Hydro, NAE Mass, Nebraska Public Power District, Niagara Mohawk, Northern Lights, Inc., PacifiCorp,
`Pacific Gas & Electric, PowerSouth, Reliant Energy, South Carolina Electric & Gas, Southern California Edison,
`Synergics Energy Services, Vista Irrigation District and WE Energies. He has also conducted numerous dam
`structural stability analyses for gravity, slab and buttress, embankment and/or arch dams for many of the above
`clients. Craig has presented and published several technical papers on seismic analysis of dams, dam seepage, dam
`remediation, dam stability, grouting, reservoir erosion and in situ soil property measurement for technical societies
`including USCOLD, ASDSO, ASCE, ICOG, the Canadian Geotechnical Society, American Society of Testing and
`Materials (ASTM) and the Transportation Research Board. These papers are listed at the end of this resume.
`
`

`

`SAMPLING OF RELEVANT PROJECT EXPERIENCE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Buzzards Roost Emergency Spillway Project – Dr.
`Findlay is serving on a Board of Consultants required by
`the FERC for review of a remediation of an emergency
`spillway to mitigate the potential for headcutting. He is
`serving on the Board along with Messers John Northrop
`and and Gene Gemperline. The project is anticipated to
`be constructed by 2020, with Board review until 2021.
`
`Klamath River Renewal Project Board of Consultants –
`Dr. Findlay is serving on the Board of Consultant
`required by
`the FERC
`to review various aspects
`including methods, timing and downstream dam safety
`for the proposed removal of four dams on the Klamath
`River in Oregon and California. These include Iron Gate
`dam, Copco 1 Dam, Copco 2 Dam and J.C. Boyle Dam.
`Other Board members include Dan Hertel, MaryLouise
`Keefe, Steve Coombs, James Borg, and Ted Chant. The
`project is proposed to be completed by 2020, with
`potential Board review until 2025.
`
`Cabin Creek Pumped Storage Board of Consultants -
`Dr. Findlay is a current member of the Cabin Creek
`Board of Consultants required for the project by the
`FERC along with Larry Nuss and Dan Hertel for raising
`of the upper reservoir of the Cabin Creek Pumped
`Storage Project which is located near Georgetown
`Colorado in the Rocky Mountains. The project is owned
`and operated by Xcel Energy and regulated by the
`Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Construction is
`to be completed in 2019, with Board review until the end
`of 2020.
`
`Chilhowee Dam Board of Consultants - Dr. Findlay was
`a member of the Chilhowee Dam Board of Consultants
`required by the FERC along with John France and Alex
`Grenoble for the North Embankment Project, working
`with Brookfield Renewable Energy Group with regard to
`diagnosis and potential treatment of a seepage/piping
`issue at one of the dam’s embankments. The project is
`regulated
`by
`the Federal Energy Regulatory
`Commission. The Board was formed in 2015 as a result
`of several cloudy seepage incidents over several years.
`The embankment is a thin sloping core rockfill that was
`originally constructed by Alcoa. The project included an
`instrumented controlled deep drawdown to identify the
`elevation of the seepage defect, found to be at the
`interface of
`the embankment and a non-overflow
`concrete
`section. A
`forensic
`excavation
`and
`reconstruction of the defected area, including extensive
`use of secant piles to allow a box excavation below
`reservoir level to bedrock. The embankment has been
`reconstructed and the seepage eliminated. A final Board
`meeting was held in 2018 after a year of post-
`
`R. CRAIG FINDLAY, Ph.D., P.E., G.E.
`Page 2
`
`remediation operation.
`
`
`Prairie Du Sac Board of Consultants – Dr. Findlay is
`currently a member of the Board of Consultants required
`by the FERC with Larry Von Thune and John Northrop
`convened for Wisconsin Power & Light’s Prairie du Sac
`Dam. The dam is a slab-and-buttress structure founded
`on deep alluvial soils, and is regulated by the Federal
`Energy Regulatory Commission. The dam is a timber
`pile supported slab and buttress structure. Degradation
`of the gravel foundation on the downstream side has
`lowered the tailwater level significantly, leaving the tops
`of some of the piles exposed to air, and deterioration.
`The work has involved advice and review of a request
`for proposals to retain a design and construction team for
`remediation. Dr. Findlay is currently serving on the
`Board during design and the upcoming construction
`work. The design involves an innovated and complex
`underpinning using micropiles to support grade beams
`that will support the buttresses and piers. Construction is
`to begin in 2018, and to conclude about 2022, at which
`time the Board’s work will be completed.
`
`Logan Martin Board of Consultants - Dr. Findlay is a
`member of the Logan Martin Dam Board of Consultants
`required by the FERC for the Deep Foundation Grouting
`Project, working with Alabama Power Company with
`regard
`to ongoing
`treatment of karstic foundation
`seepage issues and the related ongoing grouting program.
` The project
`is regulated by
`the Federal Energy
`Regulatory Commission. Since 1968, the project has
`been a proving ground for state of the art grouting
`methodology and an on-site grout plant. Dr. Findlay
`joined the board of two other members in 2013 (Dr.
`Brian Greene and Dr. Donald A. Bruce), and was
`previously a FERC Independent Consultant for the
`project. The BOC work has included oversight on a
`unique
`columnar grouting program
`to mitigate
`embankment collapse potential in 2015 (paper reviewing
`the project presented at the 2015 ASDSO Conference
`paper for which Dr. Findlay is the lead author. Dr.
`Findlay also made a presentation regarding the project at
`the 2017 ASCE Grouting, Deep Mixing & Diaphragm
`Walls Conference in Honolulu, HI. Ongoing work
`includes investigation and treatment of other areas of the
`dam which will include BOC participation. Work is
`ongoing for the foreseeable future.
`
`Vermilion Dam Board of Consultants – Dr. Findlay has
`consulted with Southern California Edison (SCE) on
`Vermilion dam since 2002 as the Board of Consultants
`regarding the safety of this dam, which is located in the
`Sierra Mountains of California, about 60 miles northeast
`
`

`

`
`
`of Fresno California. Although the dam is regulated by
`the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, this board is
`not driven by a regulatory agency but exists at the
`discretion of the owner in view of the history of seepage
`at the dam. Also, in his capacity on the project, he has
`conducted seismic stability post-earthquake analysis and
`finite element seepage analysis on the dam. Part of his
`work includes conducting annual inspections of this 165
`foot high 4,268 foot long zoned embankment dam. The
`dam is founded on thick glacial moraine and outwash
`soils requiring an extensive drainage system which
`requires continual maintenance and supplementation.
`Currently, Dr. Findlay is advising SCE with regard to
`newly proposed drainage improvements downstream of
`the maximum section of the dam as well as assessments
`of the service spillway chute and the resistance to head
`cutting of an emergency spillway cut in soil. Prior to
`being on the Board, Dr. Findlay conducted three Part 12
`Inspections on
`the dam, dating back
`to 1994.
`Involvement has included assisting SCE in developing
`responses to new seepage areas and improvements in
`surveillance and monitoring of the dam and downstream
`seepage areas. Work is ongoing.
`
`Army Corps of Engineers, Independent External Peer
`Review Panel – During 2011, Dr. Findlay served on the
`independent external peer review panel responsible for
`reviewing the Dam Safety Modification Study for Rough
`River Dam, Kentucky for the USACE Planning Center of
`Expertise as a subcontractor to Noblis. He was one of
`nine panel multi-discipline members, and he provided
`geotechnical and dam safety technical expertise for this
`project.
`
`Army Corps of Engineers, Independent External Peer
`Review Panel - During 2010, Dr. Findlay was selected to
`participate in the independent external peer review panel
`to
`review
`the East Branch Dam, Elk County
`Pennsylvania Dam Safety Modification Study for
`the USACE Flood Risk Management Planning Center of
`Expertise as a subcontractor to Battelle. He was one of
`three panel members of a multidiscipline team for this
`work and he provided geotechnical and dam safety
`technical expertise for this project..
`
`Powell Lake Dam Review Board – In 2013, Dr. Findlay
`assisted Brookfield Renewable Energy Group on an
`advisory board with respect to seismic analysis and
`rehabilitation of their Powell Lake Dam in Powell River,
`British Columbia, about 70 miles northwest of the city of
`Vancouver. The dam retains a reservoir with storage
`estimated to be 45.36 square miles.
`
`Hawks Nest Post-Tension Anchorage Review Board –
`From 2012
`through 2014, Dr. Findlay assisted
`Brookfield Renewable Power as a technical advisor with
`
`R. CRAIG FINDLAY, Ph.D., P.E., G.E.
`Page 3
`
`regard to a grouting and post-tension anchorage project
`completed in 2014. Work included advising on revised
`grouting methods to resolve problems water proofing
`anchor holes and other technical issues as they arose in
`the field. Hawks Nest Dam is located on the New River,
`in West Virginia.
`
`Flint River Karst – In 2014-2016, Dr Findlay was
`retained by Georgia Power to participate in consultation
`with regard to seepage issues related to the karst
`foundation of this dam, located in southern Georgia.
`This work was triggered by the development of a
`sinkhole on the upstream slope of the dam in 2014. The
`work has included participation in a special potential
`failure modes assessment with the Part 12 Independent
`for the project, the owner, and the FERC, with potential
`rehabilitation consultation pending. In 2016, Dr. Findlay
`was selected to perform the Part 12 Inspection for the
`project.
`
`Klamath River Part 12 – In 2009 and again in 2014, Dr.
`Findlay conducted the FERC Five-Year Part 12D
`Independent Consultant
`Inspection of PacifiCorp
`Energy’s Klamath River Project, including J. C. Boyle
`Dam in Oregon and Copco 1 Dam and Iron Gate Dam in
`California. Iron Gate
`is a 173 foot high zoned
`embankment with a side channel spillway; J.C. Boyle is
`a 68 foot high concrete gravity and embankment dam
`with a Tainter Gate Spillway, and Copco 1 Dam is a 115
`foot high thick concrete arch topped with a Tainter gate
`spillway.
`
`Part 12 Inspection of Fairfield Pumped Storage
`Development- In 2015-2016, Dr. Findlay completed the
`Part 12 Inspection and PFMA review for South Carolina
`Electric & Gas’s Parr Shoals Project, which includes the
`Fairfield Pumped Storage Development and the Parr
`Shoals Development, the latter of which forms the lower
`reservoir for the pumped storage project. In 2014, is
`separate work prior to the Part 12 Inspection, Dr. Findlay
`performed a third party independent review of the
`extensive instrumentation of the Fairfield Development.
`
`Risk Assessment for Lundy Lake and Florence Lake
`Projects - In early 2016, Dr. Findlay participated in a
`special risk assessment workshop at the request of
`Southern California Edison for these two dams. Dr.
`Findlay has participated in Past Part 12 Inspections of
`the two dams, as well as various geotechnical issued
`related to the dams over his involvement with the
`projects since about 1995. The risk workshop included
`participation of the FERC and the California DSOD.
`
`Risk assessment of Vermilion and Shaver Lake Dams –
`In the fall of 2014, Dr. Findlay participated in a special
`risk assessment workshop at the request of Southern
`
`

`

`
`
`California Edison for these two dams. Dr. Findlay has
`participated in Past Part 12 Inspections of the two dams,
`as well as various geotechnical issued related to the dams
`over his involvement with the projects since about 1995.
`The risk workshop included participation of the FERC
`and the California DSOD.
`
`Fairfield Pumped Storage Special Independent Review
`of Surveillance and Monitoring – in 2014, Dr. Findlay
`was retained by South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G)
`to conduct an independent review of seepage and
`monitoring of Dams A, B, C and D of Fairfield Dam,
`part of the Fairfield Pumped Storage Development, Parr
`Hydroelectric Project. This work included a review of
`project data provided by the Licensee and a site visit. In
`addition to walking the Dam A through D embankments
`and downstream areas,
`the
`site visit
`included
`observations on the sides of the intake and walking under
`the above ground portions of the penstocks for the
`project downstream of the intake. Observations at Dike
`215 and Berm 99, which are saddle dikes on the Fairfield
`Reservoir (Lake Monticello), were also made. The
`independent review led to recommendations regarding
`relief well and seepage weir monitoring, treatment and
`monitoring of a boil area, and enhanced monitoring of
`the adjoining areas of a large intake structure that had
`experienced some erosion and undermining issues on the
`downstream side.
`
`Silver Lake assessment of conduit and potential for
`head cutting of auxiliary spillway- In 2014, Dr. Findlay
`conducted a Part 12 Inspection of the Silver Lake
`Project, including assessment of the potential for head
`cutting of an unlined emergency spillway and inspection
`and rehabilitation of an eighty year old segmented
`concrete conduit through a an embankment.
`
`Mathis Dam Slab and Buttress Analysis – Dr. Findlay
`conducted a linear elastic finite element analysis of this
`Ambursen-style slab and buttress dam using
`the
`computer program SAP-2000,
`licensed
`to FEI by
`Computers and Structures, Inc. The model included the
`left abutment, an unconstructed powerhouse incorporated
`into the bottom of the left abutment and half of the
`spillway section. The analysis considered normal, PMF
`and seismic loading cases. The dam is located in a
`moderate seismic area and a response spectra approach
`proved adequate as evaluated by the computed stress
`levels in the structure. A separate finite element model
`was constructed to model the corbels under seismic
`loading. The dam was found to be adequate except
`under PMF loading, where the downstream ogee slabs
`were found to need to be structurally connected to the
`buttresses to mitigate the potential for uplift during
`significant spill.
`
`
`R. CRAIG FINDLAY, Ph.D., P.E., G.E.
`Page 4
`
`Vermilion Auxiliary Spillway – Dr. Findlay analyzed the
`potential for headcutting of an unlined emergency
`spillway for Southern California Edison’s Vermillion
`Dam, located in the Sierra Mountains of California,
`about 90 miles from Fresno. The analysis included
`assessment of geologic conditions by subsurface
`investigation and documentation from original design.
`HEC-RAS was used to estimate flow velocities through
`the channel at various spill levels up to PMF. A tractive
`force analysis was made to estimate the stability of the
`channel and the ability of an underlying glacial till
`deposit to limit headcutting should the spillway ever
`experience a spill.
`
`Wallace Dam –Dr. Findlay conducted the 2014 Part 12
`Inspection and PFMA review for the Wallace Dam
`Pumped Storage Project for Georgia Power Company.
`
`Spokane River- In 2014, Dr. Findlay Conducted the Part
`12 Inspection of the Spokane River Project, located in
`Washington and Idaho, for Avista Corporation, the
`owner and operator. The project includes several gravity
`dams
`and
`an
`arch
`section
`comprising
`three
`developments.
`
`Lewis River Project, Washington – Dr. Findlay
`conducted the 2012 Part 12 Inspection of the Lewis
`River Project, located on the Lewis River in the Cascade
`Mountains south western Washington State. The project
`includes the 412 foot high Swift No. 1 embankment dam,
`323 foot high Yale embankment dam and the 314 foot
`high Merwin gravity arch dam. The work included
`advising on implications of a new PMF and revised site
`specific seismicity in this subduction zone affected
`region.
`
`2012-2013 EWEB Part 12 Inspections, Oregon – Dr.
`Findlay conducted the 2012 Part 12 Inspection of Eugene
`Water and Electric Board’s Leaburg-Walterville Project
`with nine miles of canal and the Carmen Smith Project,
`including the 235 foot high Smith embankment dam.
`The projects are located east of Eugene Oregon. Dr
`Findlay continues to assist EWEB in an advisory role
`with regard to seismic hazard assessments for the
`projects and structural analyses. He also conducted the
`inspection of the Leaburg-Walterville Project in 2017,
`and continues to assist with regard to remedial measured
`for the canals.
`
`2014 Summary of Work – FERC Part 12 Inspection
`included projects for PacifiCorp (Klamath River and
`Pioneer Projects in Oregon, California and Utah),
`Brookfield Renewable Power (Louisiana Hydro Project,
`Stewarts Bridge, Upper Raquette River and Carry Falls
`Projects in Louisiana and New York State), Green
`Mountain Power (Silver Lake Project in Vermont), City
`
`

`

`
`
`of Danville Virginia (Pinnacles Project), WE Energies
`(White Rapids and Chalk Hill Projects), and Algonquin
`Power (SquaPan Project). Other Inspections for Southern
`California Edison (Vermilion Dam, California). South
`Carolina Electric and Gas (Fairfield Project in South
`Carolina). Seismic and Structural Stability Analyses for:
`Georgia Power (Mathis Dam FEM Response Spectrum –
`slab and buttress dam). Boards of Consultants/Advisory
`Boards for Alabama Power, Southern California Edison,
`and Brookfield Renewable Energy. Participated in two
`Risk Assessment Workshops for Southern California
`Edison.
`
`2013 Summary of Work – FERC Part 12 Inspection
`included projects for PacifiCorp, Duke Energy, Alabama
`Power, Georgia Power, Power South, Brookfield
`Renewable Power, AEP, WE Energies, and Nebraska
`Public Power District. Other Inspections for Southern
`California Edison. Seismic and Structural Stability
`Analyses
`for: PacifiCorp
`(seismic/deformation –
`embankment; gravity analysis, intake section), Georgia
`Power (FEM Response Spectrum – slab and buttress
`dam; gravity analysis, gravity arch dam). Boards of
`Consultants/Advisory Boards
`for Alabama Power,
`Southern California Edison, and Brookfield Renewable
`Energy.
`
`2008-2010 Noxon Rapids Hydroelectric Development
`embankment Seepage Issue – Noxon Rapids dam is
`located near Noxon, Montana. It is a 260 foot high
`concrete gravity spillway and intake with two flanking
`earthfill embankments constructed in 1960. The size of
`the reservoir formed by the dam is 7,940 acres, and is
`approximately 38 miles in length and 1.3 miles wide at
`the maximum width. Total storage is of the order of
`400,000 acre-feet, including approximately 75,000 acre-
`feet of useable storage.
` The
`left or southwest
`embankment and reservoir overlie a lacustrian clayey silt
`layer underlain by a clean, pervious gravel (referred to as
`Noxon Gravel) and bedrock. Upon first filling in 1960,
`sink holes through the lacustrian clayey silt developed
`upstream of the dam which allowed full reservoir head to
`enter the Noxon Gravel and caused the phreatic surface
`under the left embankment and downstream river bank to
`rise substantially. The Noxon Gravel did not meet
`reverse filter criteria for the lacustrian layer. The result
`of the pressurization of the Noxon Gravel was serious
`slope movements and seepage downstream of the
`southwest embankment. In response, from 1960 through
`1969, Avista conducted extensive clay blanketing of the
`reservoir bottom to seal the leakage into the Noxon
`Gravel. This blanketing proved to be successful and the
`slope movement and seepage were eliminated. In 2008,
`a
`non-turbid
`seep was
`suddenly
`discovered
`approximately 100 yards downstream of
`the
`left
`embankment, in the area of the 1960s seepage and
`
`R. CRAIG FINDLAY, Ph.D., P.E., G.E.
`Page 5
`
`stability problems. Avista retained Dr. R Craig Findlay
`in the assessment of the new seepage outbreak. The
`history of seepage and slope stability problems at the
`location of a suddenly appearing seep raised concerns
`with regard to the possibility of the past problems
`redeveloping. The approach taken to understand and
`address this problem was to compile the history of the
`area, conduct field investigations, and develop good
`geologic
`sections
`to understand
`the
`subsurface
`conditions. Field exploration at the seepage location
`identified an old buried conduit across an old buried
`access road. The conduit was hydraulically connected to
`a sand deposit downstream of the dam that seasonally
`surcharged with snow melt water. The work was the
`subject of an ASDSO annual conference paper presented
`in 2011.
`
`Cross Channel Analysis of Ambursen-Type Slab and
`Buttress Dam, Mathis Project, Georgia Power
`Company – In 2013-2014, Dr. Findlay is conducting a
`3D finite element stress analysis of the slab and buttress
`spillway section of Mathis Dam, located on the Tallulah
`River at River Mile 354, in Rabun County, about 8 miles
`southwest of Clayton, Georgia. The dam is a concrete
`slab-and-buttress structure (Ambursen-type structure, but
`not constructed by Ambursen) 730 feet long and about
`115 feet high. Response spectra were developed for the
`analysis in the three orthogonal directions. Nine bays of
`the spillway, an abandoned powerhouse section (three
`bays), and the left abutment (nine bays) of the dam were
`modeled using the program SAP2000, and seismic
`loading was applied in the cross channel, channel
`parallel and vertical directions. Currently, the model is
`being refined by Dr. Findlay to take a closer look at the
`corbels and a transition buttress, to include time history
`analysis.
`
`Upper and Middle Dam Remedial Measures,
`Androscoggin River Drainage, Brookfield Renewable
`Power (formerly FPL Energy-Maine Hydro LLC) –
`From 2005 and ongoing through 2015, Dr. Findlay has
`participated as a geotechnical consultant and member of
`the advisory/review board for replacement of
`the
`spillways and remediation of the embankments for Upper
`and Middle Dams located in the Western Mountains of
`Maine. The Upper Dam portion of the project is
`currently under construction. The dams are owned and
`operated by FPL Energy and regulated by the FERC.
`The rehabilitation work is under review of the Federal
`Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Currently, Dr
`Findlay is a member of the review board advising
`Brookfield with regard to design and construction of the
`replacement of the spillways and remediation of the
`embankments of both of the dams. A joint venture of a
`contractor and consultant prepared the design for the
`work, and Dr. Findlay has participated in numerous
`
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`
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`review meetings as well as facilitated a special
`construction Potential Failure Modes Analyses for the
`work. The embankments were constructed in the early
`1900’s and in recent years were identified to have
`seepage, artesian pressure and slope stability problems
`that the FERC had directed the owner to remediate. The
`FERC had also directed the owner to assess if the
`embankments had any seismic stability/liquefaction
`issues. In 2006, Dr. Findlay planned an extensive
`geotechnical
`investigations conducted by Findlay
`Engineering, Inc. to assess subsurface conditions for
`planning the remediations. Engineering evaluation
`included assessment of existing slope stability, seismic
`and liquefaction stability, and design analyses of several
`potential
`remedial approaches.
` The
`subsurface
`investigations determined
`that
`sections of
`the
`embankments are founded on pervious alluvial soils
`underlain by relatively impervious, dense glacial till.
`The pervious alluvial soils were assessed
`to be
`responsible for the artesian conditions identified at the
`toe of the embankments in at least one locations. To
`remediate the embankments, a 500 foot long sheet pile
`cutoff wall was installed at one embankment, and a
`downstream filter berm is planned at the other. The
`sheet pile approach was used where the alluvial layer
`was at a low elevation, to avoid the need to have a
`prolonged drawdown of the storage reservoir retained by
`the embankment or expensive dewatering measures
`which would otherwise been needed
`for other
`remediation approaches which would have required
`excavation of the downstream toe or slope. At other
`locations where the alluvial soils are at a higher elevation
`and would only be a problem with regard to embankment
`stability during extreme flood scenarios, a filter berm has
`been proposed for the future remediation currently under
`design. At present (2015), the sheet pile cutoff has been
`installed, and the rehabilitation of the spillway is under
`construction.
`
`Henshaw Dam Part 12 and Seismic Analysis – Dr.
`Findlay was the Part 12 Independent Consultant for the
`2011 Inspection of Henshaw Dam, owned by the Vista
`Irrigation District, northeast of San Diego, California.
`The dam is a hydraulic fill embankment that was
`buttressed in the 1980s to improve seismic stability. The
`dam straddles a brachiated splay of the Elsinore Fault.
`At the request of the FERC, Dr. Findlay conducted an
`updated deformation analysis, which was done using
`scaled time histories selected based on matching with
`response spectra for the project region. The analysis
`used
`the Newmark Sliding Block method, as
`implemented using the GeoSlope International suite of
`finite
`element
`and
`limit
`equilibrium programs
`(SIGMA/W, QUAKE/W and SLOPE/W). The dam is
`located in a zone of high seismicity, and the analysis
`work also had to consider the potential of fault offset
`
`R. CRAIG FINDLAY, Ph.D., P.E., G.E.
`Page 6
`
`across the dam as well as evaluation of the adequacy of
`filter compatibility of the zoned embankment materials
`using modern (USACOE) criteria.
`
`Borel Canal Deformation Analysis – Borel Canal is a
`power canal that takes water from an outlet through the
`USACE Lake Isabella Auxiliary Dam, located east of
`Bakersfield, California, on the Kern River. The canal is
`owned and operated by Southern California Edison to
`convey water to the Borel Powerhouse. In the early to
`mid-2000’s, the USACE recognized that the Kern Valley
`Fault, which runs through the right abutment of the
`Isabella Auxiliary dam and a section of the Borel Canal,
`was potentially active and capable of being the source of
`a significant earthquake (M7). This resulted in an
`assessment of significantly increased seismicity for the
`dam and the side hill cut-and-fill canal. The canal has
`many side hill embankment sections that needed to be re-
`assessed for seismic deformation at the request of the
`FERC in 2011. SCE retained Dr. Findlay in 2011 to
`conduct deformation analyses at five cross sections along
`the canal route. This was done using scaled time
`histories selected based on matching with response
`spectra for the project region. The analysis used the
`Newmark Sliding Block method, as implemented using
`the GeoSlope International suite of finite element and
`limit equilibrium programs (SIGMA/W, QUAKE/W and
`SLOPE/W). Work also included consultation with
`regard to potential offset of the canal within one of its
`tunnel sections.
`
`Swinging Bridge Dam Part 12 Inspection - Dr. Findlay
`was the P