Opinion ID: 1559181
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The July 2003 Flood

Text: In early July 2003, the Tallapoosa River basin flooded as a result of heavy rains associated with Tropical Storm Bill. The record shows that meteorologists had made errors in predicting the path of the storm such that heavy rains were not predicted for the Tallapoosa River basin until June 30, 2003, the day before the heaviest rainfall of the storm on the morning of July 1, 2003. On June 30, 2003, APCo lowered the lake level in the Martin reservoir from 489.6 feet to 489.47 feet, leaving.53 feet of storage space. The band of heaviest rainfall was split evenly upstream and downstream from Martin Dam but did not reach as far upstream as Harris Dam. The inflow into the Martin reservoir peaked between 9 and 10 o'clock a.m. on July 1, 2003. During the storm, APCo engaged in controlled releases of water, keeping the lake level at 489.99 feet. The peak discharge from Martin Dam during the flood was approximately 90,881 cfs. It is undisputed that APCo maintained the lake level at the Martin reservoir in compliance with the operating curve in Settlement Exhibit H before the flood. It is also undisputed that, during the July 2003 flood, APCo complied with the flood-control procedures stated in the 1978 amendment to Settlement Exhibit H, complied with Articles 33 and 35 of the Thurlow license, and coordinated its actions with the Corps of Engineers. At all times during the July 2003 flood, the rate of outflow from Martin, Yates, and Thurlow Dams was less than the concurrent rate of inflow, except after the inflow peaked and the dams were operated to evacuate the water that accumulated in the storage space of the reservoir for the Martin Dam. During the period of greatest inflows into the Martin reservoir, APCo's operation of Martin Dam reduced downstream flows by 6,383 cfs. The record does not include detailed information regarding damage to the farmers' properties as a result of the July 2003 flood, but the parties do not dispute that the farmers' properties were damaged. The farmers' expert testified, as he did regarding the May 2003 flood, that APCo should have maintained two to three feet or more of storage space in the Martin reservoir. However, he also testified that an additional foot and a half of storage space would not have prevented the July 2003 flooding. He admitted that operating under the flood-control procedures stated in Settlement Exhibit H instead of the 1978 amendment would not have made any appreciable difference in the flooding that occurred downstream. He also testified that rainfall downstream from Martin Dam contributed to the flooding.