Developing Dam-Break Flood Zone Ordinance

An interagency task force has been assembled to work with Gwinnett County, Georgia, on a dam-break flood zone ordinance and to develop a model ordinance for Georgia counties and municipalities. The purpose of the model ordinance is to control development downstream of low-hazard dams so that these dams remain in a low-hazard category. Guidelines developed to assist state agencies in determining dam-break flood zones are presented. The guidelines assemble a great deal of data and theoretical developments applicable to simulating dam-break floods. The level of effort required in delineating dam-break flood zones in Gwinnet County is discussed, and the model ordinance is presented in its entirety.