Dam near Walla Walla leaks
A leaking dam near Walla Walla poses an "unacceptable" risk to the public and will be specially managed until it can be repaired, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.
The 67-year-old Mill Creek Storage Dam is seeping water and is especially dangerous when Bennington Lake is more than 17 percent full, the agency said Wednesday. It is typically kept just 5 percent to 10 percent full.
Mark Lindgren, engineering chief with the corps in Walla Walla, said the dam can still be used to prevent floods in the Walla Walla area, but will be more closely monitored to make sure it does not collapse.
"We basically made the decision for this flood season to use the dam, and this one-time exposure should have a relatively low risk," Lindgren said.
