Seepage found at dam upstream from Walla Walla

The Army Corps of Engineers is taking safety measures at a diversion dam with seepage problems upstream from Walla Walla.

Corps district spokesman Joe Saxon says failure of the Mill Creek dam would prevent flood control on the creek, which flows through the southeast Washington town. The dam diverts excess water into a storage reservoir, Bennington Lake.

Engineers have found piping, erosion that creates unseen voids or pipes within the foundation of the dam. So far, though, Saxon says there's no indication of any imminent emergency.

Last year a study found bigger problems with a separate dam that impounds Bennington Lake. Dam safety officer Mark Lidgren says a longterm fix for those problems will likely cost about $100 million.

No cost estimate has been developed for fixing the diversion dam.

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