Scrutchfield Ranch

Challenges

Scrutchfield Reservoir is located in Sheridan County, Wyoming.  An extreme precipitation event caused an overtopping breach of Scrutchfield Reservoir.  Downstream property owners filed a lawsuit against the dam owner claiming that the release of water associated with the dam breach resulted in incremental damages to properties and structures.

Solution

RJH performed a site visit and forensic evaluation to evaluate potential impacts from the dam breach on downstream properties.  As part of the forensic evaluation, RJH performed hydrologic and hydraulic modeling to simulate the precipitation event and corresponding dam breach.  Based on the forensic evaluation, RJH concluded that the additional water associated with the breach of Scrutchfield Reservoir during the extreme precipitation event did not result in incremental flood damages to downstream properties.

RJH prepared an Expert Report to present our opinion regarding the downstream flood impacts, document our forensic evaluation, and provide a technical rebuttal to the engineering opinion developed by the plaintiff’s engineer.  Based on this Expert Report, a settlement was negotiated to the satisfaction of the defendant.