West Virginia regulators are monitoring a damaged dam in the northern part of the state that could potentially fail.
The state Department of Environmental Protection says in a news release a worker with the town of Lumberport notified authorities Wednesday about a collapsed section of the dam.
The statement says erosion has occurred underneath a concrete spillway and water is flowing over and under the collapsed section. The dam is about 13 feet tall, has a shallow reservoir behind it and is owned by the community of about 870 residents. Another dam is immediately downstream.
The DEP says it's working to open drain gates to relieve pressure on the failing dam and potentially pump water around it. A March 20 inspection noted the erosion. Both Lumberport dams were out of compliance with safety regulations.
