Managing a Data Deluge in the North

Since its completion in 1980, the 8-mi.-long Moose Creek Dam has regulated the Chena River and provided flood protection for Fairbanks, Alaska, and adjacent municipalities. In 2014, however, a baseline risk assessment rated Moose Creek Dam as Dam Safety Action Class III, indicating moderate to high risk of failure. Backward erosion and piping in the earthen embankment were cited as the risk drivers. Following this, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as the owner, initiated a project to address seepage-related risk with the construction of a centerline barrier wall.