PENC Northwest Chapter Meeting

Date: Monday, February 9, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM
PDH: 1
Location : South Fork Community Center

Dam Removals: You need more than just dynamite. 

In this presentation, we will discuss the types of dams and impoundment structures in North Carolina and the challenges engineers encounter during removal in the different regions of North Carolina. North Carolina is home to over 5,000 dams or impoundment structures. These structures are composed of many different styles, materials, and hazard classifications. Impoundment structures can be regulated by either the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ DMLR Dam Safety Section) or, if hydropower facilities are involved, the Federal Energy Resource Commission (FERC). 

A majority of these structures were originally built for agricultural irrigation or flood management and are approaching over 100 years in service. As many of these structures come to the end of their lifespan or have outlived their intended purposes, removal or reconstruction will be necessary. There are many different solutions for these structures, but all High Hazard Potential Dams must go through a similar (and lengthy) process before they can be decommissioned or renovated. Dewatering efforts, sedimentation management/disposal, and structure decommissioning must be accounted for in permitting, schedule, final design, and, most critically, budget.  

Join the NW Chapter of PENC to learn about some of NC's dam structures and why you need more than just dynamite to remove them safely.

Speaker Bio: Nicole Chiles, PE is a Hydropower Civil Engineer for HDR with a wide variety of experience that includes stormwater design, stream/wetland/shoreline restoration, new dam construction, and dam rehabilitation. She graduated from NC State University's BAE department with a concentration in Ecological Engineering in 2015. She has worked for three engineering consultant firms and worked for NCDEQ DEMLR Land Quality Section in the Winston Salem regional office. Currently, she works in the Hydropower division of HDR and assists with Dam Safety Inspections and FERC compliance for many utility clients throughout the Southeast.